[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.habbaspilaw.com\/need-about-californias-seat-belt-law\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.habbaspilaw.com\/need-about-californias-seat-belt-law\/","headline":"Who Must Wear Seat Belts In California?","name":"Who Must Wear Seat Belts In California?","description":"The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has calculated that in 2017 alone, seatbelts saved 14,955 lives in the U.S. and could have saved an additional 2,549 lives if those who had perished in crashes had been wearing seatbelts. There is no question that seatbelts save lives. Yet, for various reasons, many Californians are hesitant to wear them.","datePublished":"2023-01-16","dateModified":"2026-03-26","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.habbaspilaw.com\/author\/admin\/#Person","name":"Samer Habbas, Esq","url":"https:\/\/www.habbaspilaw.com\/author\/admin\/","identifier":1,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/328046d5a3bfc49c9999e96862d136a3f4bc810c33ae5a18d4d702bce2c20ecf?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/328046d5a3bfc49c9999e96862d136a3f4bc810c33ae5a18d4d702bce2c20ecf?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Samer Habbas & Associates","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.habbaspilaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/1241504_HabbasLogoUpdates_Logo1_Op1Black_060822-scaled.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.habbaspilaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/1241504_HabbasLogoUpdates_Logo1_Op1Black_060822-scaled.jpg","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.habbaspilaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/bigstock-141376721.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.habbaspilaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/bigstock-141376721.jpg","height":1039,"width":1193},"url":"https:\/\/www.habbaspilaw.com\/need-about-californias-seat-belt-law\/","about":["Accidents"],"wordCount":684,"articleBody":"The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has calculated that in 2017 alone, seatbelts saved 14,955 lives in the U.S. and could have saved an additional 2,549 lives if those who had perished in crashes had been wearing seatbelts. There is no question that seatbelts save lives. Yet, for various reasons, many Californians are hesitant to wear them. If you have questions about California seatbelt mandates or your rights and options under the law, don\u2019t hesitate to contact The Law Offices of Samer Habbas & Associates, PC. You can always schedule a free legal consultation by calling 888-848-5084 or contacting us online.\u00a0Car And Truck OccupantsCalifornia requires all car and truck operators, as well as all car and truck passengers, to be properly belted when these vehicles are in motion. Adults may be cited for failure to wear a belt, and they may be cited if any occupants under the age of 16 are not properly fastened in their seats. A seat belt citation will cost more than $150, and the total goes up to more than $450 if a child is not adequately restrained.\u00a0\u00a0Bus OccupantsWhile most states don\u2019t require seat belt usage on buses, California is the exception. For example, California is the only state in the union that mandates lap and shoulder belts on school buses. Buckle up if you\u2019re traveling by a four-wheeled vehicle on a California road.\u00a0Car Seat MandatesChildren under two must ride in a secured, rear-facing system until they reach 40 pounds or a height of three feet four inches. Children under the age of eight who have not yet reached a height of four feet nine inches must be secured in a forward-facing system that has been federally approved. Only after reaching the age of eight or a height of four feet nine inches may a child wear a standard adult seatbelt.\u00a0Why Seat Belt Observance MattersThe most important reason to wear a seatbelt is to keep yourself as safe as possible in the event of a motor vehicle collision. However, a secondary reason exists to \u201cclick it\u201d before putting a vehicle in motion. In the event that you\u2019re involved in an accident, if you are not properly belted, you could be held responsible for a significant degree of your harm, even if you are otherwise faultless concerning the circumstances leading to the crash.\u00a0California is known as a \u201cpure comparative negligence\u201d state. This means that when someone is injured in an accident in California, they remain entitled to sue others who are partially responsible for their harm, even if they are also partially at fault for the harm they\u2019ve sustained. Regarding seatbelts, an accident victim may be held accountable for a percentage of fault for a crash simply because they weren\u2019t buckled up at the time of impact. The logic behind this fault determination is that if the victim had been properly belted, the harm they sustained likely wouldn\u2019t have been as severe.Say, for example, that you were otherwise blameless in a crash scenario where you weren\u2019t wearing your seatbelt. The value of your harm is calculated to be $250,000. You are assigned 20% of the blame. Although you\u2019re still entitled to pursue $200,000 in damages from others responsible for the crash, you\u2019ll need to shoulder the burden of the remaining $50,000 in related costs due to your failure to observe California\u2019s seat belt laws. In short, even if you find them to be annoying, always use seat belts when you\u2019re driving or traveling as a passenger in motor vehicles operating on California roads.\u00a0Call an Orange County Car Accident Attorney Today!The legal team at the Law Offices of Samer Habbas is dedicated to helping our injured clients reach the best monetary settlement when they are involved in any type of accidents.If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident and seriously injured, our experienced Orange County car accident attorneys are available to personally review your case. Call us at 888-848-5084 to schedule a free, complimentary consultation with our legal team today."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Who Must Wear Seat Belts In California?","item":"https:\/\/www.habbaspilaw.com\/need-about-californias-seat-belt-law\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]