Buckle Up: State Police To Crackdown On Seat Belts In State Parks

If you're heading to a New York State Park any time soon, make sure you keep your seat belt on while you're in the car.

State Police announced this week that they will be looking out for folks who unbuckle while in state parks.

“As the summer travel season continues, the State Police, State Park Police, and our law enforcement partners strongly encourage the proper use of seat belts and child safety seats in motor vehicles. By simply buckling-up, motor vehicle occupants dramatically reduce their risk of severe injury or death if involved in a crash. We will be working diligently to promote proper seat belt use and compliance, and reduce the senseless tragedies caused by people who ignore the seat belt laws," New York State Police Superintendent George P. Beach II said.

Highlights of New York State's seat belt law:

• In the front seat, the driver and each passenger must wear a seat belt, one person per belt. The driver and front-seat passengers aged 16 or older can be fined up to $50 each for failure to buckle up.
• Every occupant, regardless of age or seating position, must use a safety restrain when riding with driver who has a junior license or learner permit.
• Each passenger under age 16 must wear a seat belt or use an appropriate child safety restraint system. The restraint system must comply with the child height and weight recommendations determined by the manufacturer. Depending on the size of the child, the restraint system may be a safety seat or a booster seat used in combination with a lap and shoulder belt.
• The driver must make sure that each passenger under age 16 obeys the law. The driver can be fined $25 to $100 and receive up to three driver license penalty points for each violation.

During last year's campaign, State Police and State Park Police issued more than 43,089 total tickets. That included 929 tickets for child restraint violations, and 1,921 tickets for adult seat belt violations.

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