Anonymous wrote:OP here. They got stopped in DC and the friend is probably 17, not really sure. The friend claims he wasn't aware he had to be belted in the back seat and has offered to pay the ticket but I'm furious that DS was driving with someone unrestrained, although he claims he checked before driving off and the other kid was wearing it. Why would you take off a seat belt after you've already buckled it? Doesn't make sense.

Oy vey.

I think you're being hard on your kid. While, technically, it's your kid's responsibility to make sure everyone is buckled in, it's not unreasonable to assume that the (nearly adult) passenger has fastened his seat belt. The other kid should pay the ticket.

OP here. They got stopped in DC and the friend is probably 17, not really sure. The friend claims he wasn't aware he had to be belted in the back seat and has offered to pay the ticket but I'm furious that DS was driving with someone unrestrained, although he claims he checked before driving off and the other kid was wearing it. Why would you take off a seat belt after you've already buckled it? Doesn't make sense.

Oy vey.

Anonymous wrote:Dumb question, but is it a law that backseat passengers have to be belted? Is this a new thing?

Where I grew up, and in VA (I just looked it up), the backseat passenger under 18 needs to be belted.

Dumb question, but is it a law that backseat passengers have to be belted? Is this a new thing?

Where did your son get this ticket? The only place in the DC area that allows a primary stop for unfastened seat belts in the back seat is DC. If your son was driving in Virginia, he got stopped for something else because the police cannot stop a car in Virginia for only an unbelted occupant. They have to have a primary reason for the stop like speeding, reckless driving, an accident, DWI, running a red light, etc.

I would certainly tell the other parents. I would also let them know that your son won't be driving there son anywhere for the foreseeable future as well.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's serious enough that you need to tell the parents. Does your car beep or something if someone removes their seat belt? Chances are your son never checked before driving.

Does your car do this? I've never heard of a car doing that, but our cars are not new.

My car does this if the person is in the front passenger seat, but not the back.

Anonymous wrote:It's serious enough that you need to tell the parents. Does your car beep or something if someone removes their seat belt? Chances are your son never checked before driving.

Does your car do this? I've never heard of a car doing that, but our cars are not new.

Your son needs to get furious at his friend. It's a total dick move to get a friend in trouble. The friend needs to give DS the money for the ticket. DS needs to be the one to tell his friend "Sorry but I can't give you rides any more - I can't risk getting citations because of you."

You need to get your DS fired up enough that he's pissed at his friend.

What was he really pulled over for? I would think the unbelted passenger wouldn't be noticed until the police officer stuck his head in a car that had already been pulled over.

If he's a teen driver, I'd instill a no-passenger rule because his friends are unreliable. If the friend is a teen, I'd call his parents. Seriously, the friend should pay the ticket.

It's serious enough that you need to tell the parents. Does your car beep or something if someone removes their seat belt? Chances are your son never checked before driving.

Make sure that if you pay the ticket he's not going to get any points. Might be a good idea to have him go to court and request driving school (you could be there with him and he can represent himself - probably no need for a lawyer). Then this can be removed from his record and your insurance won't be affected.

How old was the unbelted kid? And the driver was ticketed? Crazy. I wouldn't give him a ride for a long time if he cost me money. Are there diving record points involved that will increase your insurance rates?

Tell the parents they need to remind their kid to keep their seat belt on in the back seat!!!

Anonymous wrote:DS was cited for driving an unbelted passenger. His friend was sitting in the back seat and DS insists he was wearing his seat belt when they started driving but must have unbuckled for some reason (hmmm....) . We're making DS pay the ticket but do we tell the friend's parents?

I would want to know so I could kick my kid's ass. And then I would offer to pay the ticket, or rather, make my kid pay it. Then I'd kick my kid's ass again.

DS was cited for driving an unbelted passenger. His friend was sitting in the back seat and DS insists he was wearing his seat belt when they started driving but must have unbuckled for some reason (hmmm....) . We're making DS pay the ticket but do we tell the friend's parents?