Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, there are people who didn't know you need to be buckled in the back seat????

Wow, I'm totally surprised. I took driver's ed in public school in 1985 and I knew that seatbelts are necessary (even if not required by law at the time).

It's not common knowledge that the rules of physics apply to the back seat?

Oh, so your kids wear seat belts on bus rides/field trips? Or do the laws of physics not apply then?

Of course we all know one "should" wear a seat belt - but whether or not it is legally required is a totally different question. And iin 1985 it is doubtful even front seat drivers were required to do so.

I took the class in 1986, and then it was a newly enacted law that front seat driver and passenger were required to wear seat belts. I had no idea it was the law for backseat passengers anywhere, and I'm a bit of a news junkie who's pretty well-informed. I wouldn't go nuts over this, op.

PS, yes in my daughter's school buses there are seat belts. We were all instructed to put them on before departing on the field trip I volunteered to chaperone. No seat belts on public transport, as far as I know. And, of course, the laws of physics apply. When there is a seatbelt, it is worn. Without question. Because physics.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wondering if others would restrict OP's son's car privileges? It was a front seat passenger so more flagrant but this happened to our son and he lost the car for 2 months. (he was belted, friend was not)

Front seat is different, because it's much easier for a driver to see if a passenger in the front seat is belted.

+1

Even if OP's kid did check that his friend was belted before driving, the other kid could have just unbuckled at any time. How's the driver supposed to know that?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did not know that backseat passengers need to be belted in D.C. Went to public high school in Maryland, lived in DC for 3 years as an adult and NOVA for 5 years as an adult.

In VA, passengers 17 and under must be belted in the back seat. In DC and MD, all passengers must always wear seatbelts, front or back seat. I believe MD recently changed this law.

DC law even covers taxis.

Anonymous wrote:Wondering if others would restrict OP's son's car privileges? It was a front seat passenger so more flagrant but this happened to our son and he lost the car for 2 months. (he was belted, friend was not)

Front seat is different, because it's much easier for a driver to see if a passenger in the front seat is belted.

Anonymous wrote:I did not know that backseat passengers need to be belted in D.C. Went to public high school in Maryland, lived in DC for 3 years as an adult and NOVA for 5 years as an adult.

In VA, passengers 17 and under must be belted in the back seat. In DC and MD, all passengers must always wear seatbelts, front or back seat. I believe MD recently changed this law.

Wondering if others would restrict OP's son's car privileges? It was a front seat passenger so more flagrant but this happened to our son and he lost the car for 2 months. (he was belted, friend was not)

I did not know that backseat passengers need to be belted in D.C. Went to public high school in Maryland, lived in DC for 3 years as an adult and NOVA for 5 years as an adult.

Anonymous wrote:

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.

+1.

Maybe your son did check before starting, or said "get buckled" and the idiot 17 year old did/started to and then took it off when your son wasn't looking because he didn't want to wear it. Or maybe unbuckled it to reach forward into the front seat to change a radio station, or punch somebody for a Volkswagen, or grab something that fell on the floor, or whatever.

I wouldn't be that mad at my son. I'd figure the fact that he got pulled over probably scared the crap out of him and then he gets points for telling you when I'm sure he didn't want to.

I got a ticket for speeding when I was 17 and never told my parents. I took my part-time job check to the bank, got a money order, and mailed it in. Be glad he told you.

Would make driver pay and tell parents. Driver can coordinate with unbelted friend, but driver responsibility. And he'll be sure to remember next time. Goodluck.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, there are people who didn't know you need to be buckled in the back seat????

Wow, I'm totally surprised. I took driver's ed in public school in 1985 and I knew that seatbelts are necessary (even if not required by law at the time).

It's not common knowledge that the rules of physics apply to the back seat?

Oh, so your kids wear seat belts on bus rides/field trips? Or do the laws of physics not apply then?

Of course we all know one "should" wear a seat belt - but whether or not it is legally required is a totally different question. And iin 1985 it is doubtful even front seat drivers were required to do so.

I took the class in 1986, and then it was a newly enacted law that front seat driver and passenger were required to wear seat belts. I had no idea it was the law for backseat passengers anywhere, and I'm a bit of a news junkie who's pretty well-informed. I wouldn't go nuts over this, op.

I'm sure every teen these days knows about the seat belt law.

Everyone knows about the D.C. seatbelt law. No excuse. Especially if your child has gone to public high school. Those drivers' ed courses in public schools are xlnt.

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 are right,OP, to be angry both at DS and at the passenger, but your least concern is who should pay the bill. Both exposed your family to legal liabilty that could destroy your family. Hasn't your son heard of stories or met quadriplegics who were thrown through front car windows because they weren't belted? This just happened at Washington & Lee two years ago - the girl died and the driver's life (he was drunk) has been ruined. Please show your son this story. http://www.wdbj7.com/news/local/washington-and-lee-university-student-killed-in-earlymorning-wreck/23259108. We don't let our teens drive other teens and we don't let our teens be driven by other teens because teenage drivers just don't have the experience to drive safely in this highly congested area. I don't need a death or lawsuit crippling our family and so far, knock on keyboard, it has never happened to us.

I drive a Volvo. If someone unbuckles the seat belt in the back seat, my car dings and informs me. That isn't the case for most cars however.

MD and DC are primary offense states meaning that there doesn't have to be another reason for the police to stop a car other than not wearing a seat belt. VA is a secondary offense state meaning one can be cited for a seat belt violation only if the car is stopped by police for another reason.

All three jurisdictions require seat belt use by all passengers.

www.iihs.org is a good resource to check all 50 states for vehicle laws.

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?

OP, was it clear to your DS that the rule in your house is that drivers check passengers' seatbelts? If so, he didn't (he's lying when he said he did) and messed up. If that wasn't the rule then I would go easy on him and let the friend pay.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, there are people who didn't know you need to be buckled in the back seat????

Wow, I'm totally surprised. I took driver's ed in public school in 1985 and I knew that seatbelts are necessary (even if not required by law at the time).

It's not common knowledge that the rules of physics apply to the back seat?

Oh, so your kids wear seat belts on bus rides/field trips? Or do the laws of physics not apply then?

Of course we all know one "should" wear a seat belt - but whether or not it is legally required is a totally different question. And iin 1985 it is doubtful even front seat drivers were required to do so.

I took the class in 1986, and then it was a newly enacted law that front seat driver and passenger were required to wear seat belts. I had no idea it was the law for backseat passengers anywhere, and I'm a bit of a news junkie who's pretty well-informed. I wouldn't go nuts over this, op.

I'm sure every teen these days knows about the seat belt law.

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 mention it to them, yes. I don't understand why people think this should pay for the ticket in whole or in part.

I also agree with PP that there was probably something else going on that got the attention of the cop.

But this is a good first lesson that he can't take the responsibility of driving lightly.