Virginia is the latest state to expand its seatbelt laws, now requiring all adults to buckle up on highways — regardless of where they’re sitting in the car.
Before the new rule, only front-seat passengers were required to wear seatbelts.
But as of July 1, drivers can face a $25 fine if they or any adult passengers are caught unbuckled on the highway.
The change aligns Virginia with more than 30 other states that already have backseat seatbelt laws.
New York was the first, passing its version in 1984.
Today, New Hampshire remains the only state without an adult seatbelt mandate.
While Virginia’s law is considered secondary enforcement — meaning drivers can’t be pulled over solely for not wearing a seatbelt — it reflects growing federal pressure.
The US Department of Transportation has warned that states could lose highway funding if they don’t strengthen seatbelt laws.
Virginia drivers will now face a $25 if they or their passengers are driving on highways without seat belts
Virginia’s new highway law was passed in March before taking effect on July 1
The measure in Virginia was introduced by Delegate Karen Keys-Gamarra of Fairfax County and passed during the state’s General Assembly session in March.
It was in response to a grim statistic — 35 percent of fatal crashes involve people not wearing seatbelts.
Meanwhile, Michigan, which faced controversy for passing a bill to allow autonomous cars on roads without human drivers, enacted new laws in April to improve child safety.
Those laws require infants up to two years old be in secured rear-facing car seats and use forward-facing car seats between the ages of two and five.
Children will then be required to use belt-positioning booster seats with lap-shoulder belts until they turn eight, the age when kids can ditch them completely.
Drivers who don’t comply with these Michigan laws will face a $65 penalty, including a $25 civil fine, court costs, and a $40 justice system assessment.
Besides seatbelt safety, Virginia added ‘takeovers’ to its reckless driving laws this week, prohibiting things like drag-racing, making cars lose traction, and riding on the hood or roof of vehicles.
Other road rules that have or are set to take effect this year are in Missouri, California, Colorado, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Oregon, and Texas.
More than 30 states have passed seat belt laws to increase the safety of travelers
Vehicles themselves have made travelers fearful due to several recalls initiated this year.
Volkswagen issued recalls on 177,493 crossover SUVs in March due to concerns about potential engine fires.
General Motors recalled nearly 600,000 SUVs a month later due to engine issues in some of its best-selling models.
If that wasn’t enough, Hyundai issued a recall weeks later on 620 units after potential fire risks arose.
Over one million vehicles were recalled from manufacturers last month alone, including more than 259,000 Honda SUVs, around 534,775 Ford vehicles, 62,468 GM-manufactured cars, and nearly 1,700 of Jeep’s 2023 Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee L SUVs.
Who: Drivers, Virginia lawmakers
What: New seatbelt law (all adult passengers in a vehicle to wear seat belts while the vehicle is in motion on a public highway)
When: Took affect July 1
Where: Virginia
Why: Why is this happening
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8 pars – explain more stuff and mention some statistics
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Pars – other seatbelt states
