Buckling up in the back seat could soon be required by state law

Legislation passed by both the state Senate and Assembly would require back seat passengers to buckle up. Passengers found not wearing their seat belts would face a $50 fine.

News 12 Staff

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Mar 4, 2020, 10:24 PM

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Updated 1,752 days ago

As of now, passengers riding in the back seat of a vehicle are legally allowed to keep their seat belts off -- but that could soon change.

Legislation passed by both the state Senate and Assembly would require back seat passengers to buckle up. Passengers found not wearing their seat belts would face a $50 fine.

AAA spokesman Robert Sinclair says the agency has been advocating for the bill to be passed for years.

Over the past decade, Sinclair says more than 300 back seat passengers who weren't wearing a seat belt were killed, and over 25,000 were injured.

Sinclair says 16- to 24-year-olds make up 24% of the fatalities.

People who News 12 spoke to had different viewpoints on buckling up in the back seat.

"I've never put it on in the back seat," says Juan Bodre, of Sayville. "Never thought to do it."

While Karyn Truitt, of Hempstead, says she always wears one.

"I remember when I was like 8 years old, I was involved in an accident. We didn't wear a seat belt, and I got all bumped around in the back seat," she says.

The bill still needs to be signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.