Oklahoma drivers and their front seat passengers must be contained by an appropriate safety system or seat belt when riding in a vehicle.  Law enforcement officials can pull a vehicle if they spot someone inside the vehicle violating this law.  The fine is a $20 ticket.  A steeper fine may incent more people to not take a chance in getting pulled over for not wearing a safety belt.  The driver is also responsible for any passengers under the age of 16 violating this rule.

Kids under 6 years of age must be restrained in a federally-approved safety seat when riding in a vehicle.  Children between the ages of 6 and 12 must be restrained by an appropriate safety system or seat belt.  In general, they say that children are safer riding in the rear seat of a vehicle.

It was interesting to read that teens are the largest percentage of drivers involved in Oklahoma automobile accidents.  I’ve always thought that if we told our kids from early on that seat belts were not an option, when they got older they wouldn’t even question whether they had to put them on or not.  Maybe that’s naïve but I really believe it.  A person has got to get it through their head that you wear a seat belt every time and make sure that the children are wearing them too or in their appropriate chairs.

I know of a little girl in first grade that is now in a wheelchair for the rest of her life because the family was off to a quick trip to the store and they didn’t wear their belts and an accident happened.  When it hit that close to home I have never even put the car in drive until every single person, adult and child, had their belts on because it only takes that one time.

See more information about our local area in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, at www.directoryofoklahomacity.com.