Seat Belt Law Enforcement Facts

When states enact primary enforcement seat belt laws, usage rates rise 10-15 percentage points. (NHTSA, 2003). Usage rates for child restraints in Louisiana rose from to 45 to 75.2% in 2006. The NHTSA also documents that in the period between 2001 to 2006 seat belt usage rates in Texas have climed 15%.

In 1985 Texas's safety belt laws went into effect. Texas law requires drivers and front seat passengers in all vehicles to be secured by a safety belt. Children under 17 years old must be secured with a safety belt or in a child safety seat, whether they are sitting in the front or back seat. A child under five years old and less than 36 inches tall must ride in a child safety seat. A safety belt violation can result in fines ranging from $25 to $200, plus court costs.