Connecticut Seat Belt Laws May Extend To Backseat

The Connecticut legislature is debating a law that would make the use of seatbelts a requirement for all vehicle passengers. Current law makes seat belts a requirement for all drivers, front seat passengers, and rear seat passengers ages 7 to 16 years old. Children under the age of seven are required to be in an age-appropriate car seat.

Data from the Connecticut Department of Heath says that over 100 of the roughly 270 Connecticut auto accident deaths could be prevented if all vehicle passengers wore seatbelts. The DPH is advocating for this law update on a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control.

Car crashes are the leading cause of death in the United States for ages 1-54 years and more than half of those deaths were of people who were not wearing seat belts.