Legal question about Antique vehicles and the seat belt laws

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RAT ROD AL

RAT ROD AL

MOPAR ARCHAEOLOGIST - one parts hoard at a time!
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Any law enforcement men or women and anyone else who know the answer. My question is for instance my 1966 van I have licensed with antique plates in the state of FL. I have put lap belts in front. No seats in the back , In the FL rest stops along the highway on their bulletin boards states people over the age of 8 or 12 or something (age not important ) are not required to wear seatbelts in the back seat in FL. Is it LEGAL in other states for an ADULT to ride in BACK if the van doesn't have seatbellts ?
 
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Click It or Ticket Colorado states it is ILLEGAL to be unbuckled in the front seat. The child passenger safety law clearly defines child safety seat and seat belt use from birth through age 15 as follows:
  • The law requires infants to ride in a rear-facing child safety seat until they are at least one year old and weigh less than 20 pounds.
  • The law requires children ages one to four years old that weigh at least 20 pounds up to 40 pounds to be restrained in a forward-facing or rear-facing child safety seat.
  • The law requires that children who weigh over 40 pounds or who are at least four years old be properly restrained in a child booster seat or with a child safety belt-positioning device. Children must ride in booster seats until they are eight years old.
  • A child who is at least eight years old must be properly restrained with a safety belt or child restraint system.
 
I was wondering about this. I’m in the process of restoring and old power wagon that never had seatbelts. I’m not going to install any, and was wondering how that was going to work out when I get pulled over. I’m sure to get pulled over, it doesnt have a license tag light either.
 
jas0162 said:
I was wondering about this. I’m in the process of restoring and old power wagon that never had seatbelts. I’m not going to install any, and was wondering how that was going to work out when I get pulled over. I’m sure to get pulled over, it doesnt have a license tag light either.
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You're in Kansas, who's looking?
 
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Generally if it didn't come with them you don't need them but if you install them you have to wear them .I have lived in states such as Michigan where they can't pull you over for a seatbelt infraction they have to pull you over for something else then add the seatbelt ticket but we all know how that works in practice . Here in Canada they are hard on it but I have cruised around in my 69 and others with no shoulder strap on just the lap belt and never been grabbed for it here .
PS I am sure there are states that won't tag a vehicle of any age that hasn't been upgraded to their safety standard including seatbelts .
 
Did you know that in Florida, you need to wear belts, in the cab of a pick up, but it's ok to ride in the bed without any restraint? How about that for making sense.
 
Charrlie_S said:
Did you know that in Florida, you need to wear belts, in the cab of a pick up, but it's ok to ride in the bed without any restraint? How about that for making sense.
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What about all the people that ride a motorcycle here without a helmet( me included) and then you see all the people riding down the sidewalk on a bicycle with one on!!
 
leblanc said:
NO ONE should ride in the back of a pick-up if they have any common sense.
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Even worse, back around 1970, I was driving down the freeway (about 65 MPH) and there was a Falcon pickup driving along in the right hand lane. The tailgate was down and there were two boys (about 12 y.o.) sitting on the tailgate (unrestrained) dangling their legs over the edge.
 
Tennessee they have similar laws. But I’ve been harassed by a female officer three of four times about it. I was a cop here and I just call the chief. Then a few minutes later she drives off. No questions. No comments. 65 valiant and my kids ride everywhere with me. Lap belts in the back. None up front.

I feel like if I want to lawn dart myself I should be able too. Rode motorcycles for years with helmets. I know the consequences of not having the seat belts but odd are steel car vs a Kia I’m pretty sure I’ll win. Even though I drive slow as hell.
 
Considering that that the only thing to absorb the impact in our A's is the windshield.. seat belts are a good option.

I've looked at adding a set in mine. I should probably get more serious on that.
 
Dantra said:
Considering that that the only thing to absorb the impact in our A's is the windshield.. seat belts are a good option. I just took some out of my 67 barracuda and used them in the van. Only lap belts but better than none.

I've looked at adding a set in mine. I should probably get more serious on that.
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In WI, until the kid reaches 80# they need to be in a booster seat in the rear seat. I called the local police station. 1970’s car so no air bag to face slam them. I have installed shoulder harness in front seat with only a lap belt in back. They agreed the child would be safer in the front. I haven’t been pulled over yet to see what the officer thinks.
 
Charrlie_S said:
Did you know that in Florida, you need to wear belts, in the cab of a pick up, but it's ok to ride in the bed without any restraint? How about that for making sense.
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Charrlie, because this is Florida and a lot of things are backwards down here and don't make sense.
 
I believe in Illinois, anything '65 or older don't have to use seat belts. Never wore a seat belt in my '65 Plymouth, never had an issue. You only need the safety equipment the car came with. Other than that, we'd all have to add airbags to our classics.
 
RAT ROD AL said:
What about all the people that ride a motorcycle here without a helmet( me included) and then you see all the people riding down the sidewalk on a bicycle with one on!!
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Have seen people riding motorcycles, no shirt, shorts, flipflops, no helmet.
Also I'm not sure (what I was told) "white lineing" is legal in Florida. Almost got a few, because of that.
 
If you have anyone in your car you care about, Get seatbelts. New cars with all of that ABS junk in them can stop a lot quicker than we can.
 
post 3 normally does not apply to vehicles built before that equipment was mandated.

your state statutes should be available online.

let's not even get started about buses, school or otherwise...
 
NO exceptions in California, ALL cars must have seat belts, the federal date was removed many years ago.


Alan
 
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