The State of Ohio's Seat Belt Law

Ohio's seat belt usage rate in 2009 was 83.6 percent, according to the Ohio Traffic Safety Office. This improves on the 2008 rate of 82.7 percent. OTSO notes that enforcement is difficult since, as of March 2010, Ohio does not have a primary seat belt law. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety believes the state's seat belt laws are "marginal," but regulations governing child restraint are among the nation's best.

Seat Belt Law

  • The Ohio Revised Code explains that the driver and all front seat passengers in a motor vehicle must wear a seat belt. As a driver, you are responsible for ensuring that all vehicle occupants are properly restrained as per Ohio law. Exclusions apply to Ohio's seat belt law. Mail carriers and newspaper delivery persons are exempt when carrying out their duties. Individuals with medical reasons, certified by a doctor, are also excluded. Children under 15 are covered by Ohio's child restraint system laws.

Child Restraint Law

  • Youths between the ages of 8 and 14, regardless of their seating location, must ride in an approved child restraint system or use an adult safety belt, according to ORC. Children who are under 4 years of age and weigh less than 40 pounds must use a child restraint system when travelling in a private motor vehicle or one that is owned and operated by a nursery or day-care center. Parents and caregivers must secure kids less than 8 years old and under 57 inches tall in a booster seat.

Enforcement

  • As OTSO notes, Ohio does not have a primary seat belt law. Officers may not stop a vehicle for the lone purpose of issuing a seat belt citation. Ohio also considers violations involving 4 to 14 year olds secondary offenses. A ticket may be handed out in these cases after pulling a vehicle over for another traffic offense. IIHS reports that the maximum fine for a first offense of Ohio's seat belt law is $30 for the driver and $20 for passengers. The maximum fine for an initial offense of the child restraint law is $75.

Significance

  • In 2009, Ohio strengthened its booster seat laws. A booster seat is designed to work in combination with a shoulder/lap belt assembly. Use of a booster seat rather than a seat belt by itself reduces the risk of injury by 59 percent, according to the Ohio Department of Health. In terms of safety belt use among teens, the Columbus Dispatch reports that through October, 2009, 51 of the 80 teens who died in car crashes were unbuckled. In 2008, that number was 60 out of 111.

Usage Rates

  • While Ohio's overall seat belt usage rate climbed steadily between 2000 and 2009, some sub-groups still lag behind. For instance, OTSO data shows that African Americans' seat belt usage rate (76 percent) was significantly lower than that of Caucasians (84 percent) in 2009. Among 15 to 25 year olds, the percentage buckling up in 2009 was 76 percent. About 84 percent of 26 to 64 year olds wore seat belts, while 90 percent of persons 65 and older did.