Buckle up! New seat belt law now in effect

Stock image, St. George News

ST. GEORGE – A reminder to Utah motorists – buckle up. As a new Utah law goes into effect Tuesday, making failure to wear a seat belt a primary offense, police can now pull over drivers who aren’t wearing the safety strap.

Prior to House Bill 79 – Safety Belt Law Amendments, signed by Gov. Gary Herbert in March, police could cite adult drivers who didn’t wear seat belts only if they had been pulled over for another violation.

The bill allows officers to issue warnings on a first offense. On the second offense, an offender can be fined $45. However, that fine may be waived if the driver completes a 30-minute online safety course.


Read more: Utah gets tougher seat belt law with governor’s signature


The Utah Legislature passed 528 bills during the 2015 general session, and the safety belt bill is among 389 that become law Tuesday.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2015, all rights reserved.

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8 Comments

  • 42214 May 12, 2015 at 1:00 pm

    someone please explain the logic behind requiring sealbelts but not motorcycle helmets. Not wearing a helmet turns a broken arm or leg into a fatality. Don’t understand the state’s logic here.

    • fun bag May 12, 2015 at 1:41 pm

      Utardian logic rarely makes sense. Wait for rocket ship to planet Kolob, wear crash helmet then..

  • Billy Madison May 12, 2015 at 2:20 pm

    Okay okay, I will fasten my seat belt, but I’m still not gonna use my blinkers.

    • Bender May 12, 2015 at 6:31 pm

      You’ll fit in just fine here then grandpa.

  • izzymuse May 12, 2015 at 10:12 pm

    Utah nanny government: “You better thang God we are here to protect you from yourselves, little ones!” Typical for modern legislatures who do NOT understand the proper role of government.

    • Bender May 14, 2015 at 7:19 pm

      Who wound you up and gave you an Atlas Shrugged paperback?

      • izzymuse May 15, 2015 at 8:43 am

        BENDER, never read Atlas Shrugged. BUT I did read that crazy thing known as the U.S. Constitution and the writings of Thomas Paine, Frederic Bastiat, and Thomas Jefferson…etc (crazy people like them). Those liberty lovers have poisoned my brain. I wish All the modern legislatures and U.S. leaders AND citizens of America would study and come to understand the principles of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution in order to see what the proper role of government really is. Modern republicans and democrats are too screwed up with big business and special interest lobbyists to do what they should be doing.

  • izzymuse May 12, 2015 at 10:12 pm

    Raising revenue for the state!! $$$$$
    😀

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