Missouri Seat Belt Law
Missouri law requires all front seat occupants to wear a seat belt. All children under 16 must be properly restrained regardless of seating position. Violation of the seat belt law is a secondary offense for adults, meaning an officer must have another reason to stop you before citing you for not wearing a seat belt. However, the child restraint law is a primary offense.
Why Buckle Up?
• Seat belts are the single most effective safety device for preventing death and injury in a crash
• Seat belts reduce the risk of fatal injury to front seat passengers by 45%
• Seat belts reduce the risk of moderate to critical injury by 50%
• Unbelted occupants are 30 times more likely to be ejected from a vehicle during a crash
• Three out of four people who are ejected from a vehicle during a crash die from their injuries
Child Safety Seat Requirements
Missouri law (Section 307.179 RSMo) requires children to be properly restrained based on age and weight:
Rear-Facing Seats
Infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car seat as long as possible, until they reach the maximum height or weight limit allowed by the car seat manufacturer. This is the safest position for young children.
Forward-Facing Seats
Once a child outgrows their rear-facing seat, they should use a forward-facing car seat with a harness. Keep children in the forward-facing seat until they reach the maximum height or weight for that seat.
Booster Seats
Children who have outgrown their forward-facing seat should use a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle seat belt fits them properly. The seat belt fits properly when the lap belt lies across the upper thighs (not the stomach) and the shoulder belt crosses the chest (not the neck).
Children under 8 years old who weigh less than 80 pounds must be in an appropriate child safety seat or booster seat.
The Rollover Risk
Rollovers account for a significant number of traffic fatalities. Seat belts are especially important in rollover crashes because they keep you inside the vehicle and in your seat. Unbelted occupants are much more likely to be thrown around inside the vehicle or ejected during a rollover.
• SUVs and pickup trucks have a higher center of gravity and are more prone to rollovers
• Overcorrecting steering is a leading cause of rollovers
• Wearing a seat belt dramatically increases your chance of survival in a rollover
Contact
Missouri State Highway Patrol
1510 East Elm Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101
Phone: (573) 751-3313
Website: www.statepatrol.dps.mo.gov
Emergency: 1-800-525-5555 or cellular *55