Frequently Asked Questions
What are the seat belt laws in Massachusetts?
A:
In the state of Massachusetts, seat belt laws exist to protect car operators and passengers in the event of a car accident. The seat belt law states that anyone riding in or operating a motor vehicle who is over the age of 16 must wear a properly fastened seat belt. Under the Massachusetts seat belt law, a police officer can fine the driver and any passenger over the age of 16 $25 for not wearing their seat belt.
A driver who is pulled over or is involved in a car accident where passengers under 16 are not wearing seat belts will receive a fine for each of those passengers.
Massachusetts considers seat belt violations a “secondary offense”. This means that while a police officer can ticket you for not wearing a seat belt after you have been pulled over for another offense, an officer of the law cannot pull over your vehicle only because they notice you are not wearing a seat belt.
Learn more about the exceptions to the Massachusetts seat belt law.
As a Boston personal injury law firm that has seen first hand the catastrophic damage that can result from car accidents, especially when the victims were not wearing seat belts, we highly recommend that you and everyone in your vehicle wears a seat belt at all times.
