All Car Passengers, Even 16 and Older, Must Wear Seatbelts in the Backseat, Starting Sunday

By Yehudit Garmaise

   Get ready to buckle up on Sunday, Nov. 1, when a new law that requires all car passengers, regardless of age, to always wear their seatbelts in both the front and back seats.

   Before Sunday, the New York State law, only required passengers under the age of 16 to wear their seatbelts in both the front and the back seats.

   Although wearing a seatbelt in the backseat may seem cumbersome, doctors in trauma centers, says doing so can save many lives.

   In fact, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee reported that 30% deaths that occur on highways involve accidents with passengers who were not wearing seat belts. 

    Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the new seatbelt law on Aug. 11, which is 36 years after his father, the late Gov. Mario Cuomo, signed a law to make New York state the first U.S. state to create a mandatory seat belt law.

   Brooklyn Assemblyman Walter Mosley sponsored the new seat belt legislation in the state Assembly.

   “Seat belts are a proven way to make our roads safer and lower the number of automobile fatalities,” Mosley said. "This legislation will go a long way toward...ensuring that all passengers are safe when travelling [by car.]