Governor Cuomo signed a new law on August 11, which goes into effect November 1, requiring all passengers to wear a seat belt in the back seat of a motor vehicle, including passengers of ride sharing services like Uber and Lyft. Until now, passengers over age 16 were not required to wear seat belts in the rear seat in New York. The new law will save lives and prevent injuries across state roadways by requiring all occupants in a motor vehicle to buckle up. Over the last decade, nearly 300 people were killed and over 25,000 were injured unrestrained in the back seat of a motor vehicle. This accounts for eight injuries per day across New York State.
Governor Cuomo said in a statement, “We’ve known for decades that seat belts save lives and with this measure we are further strengthening our laws and helping to prevent needless tragedies. It was under my father’s leadership that New York became the first state in the country to pass a seat belt law, and the nation followed his lead. Now we are building upon this legacy and helping to create a safer and stronger Empire State for all.”
According to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), teens and young adults age 16 to 24 are least likely to buckle up and most likely to die compared to any other age group in New York State. Seat belt use unequivocally reduces risk of injury and death for all vehicle occupants. Rear seat occupants who fail to buckle up are two times more likely to be killed, eight times more likely to be seriously injured, and two more likely to kill a front seat occupant by becoming a projectile.
The current fine for an unbuckled front seat passenger is $50 dollars. The fine will remain the same and will be extended to unbuckled back seat passengers as well. New York will join 30 other states which have implemented similar laws.
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