Minnesota first passed a seat belt law in 1986, requiring the driver and front-seat passengers to wear a seat belt. The seat belt law was upgraded to a primary law 23 years later and went into effect on June 9, 2009. The law states that drivers and passengers in all seating positions must be buckled up or in the correct child restraint, regardless of age or whether riding in the front or back seat.
Materials and Statistics
- Seat belts and airbags (MN OTS)
- Saved by the Belt Program (MN OTS)
- Vehicle Passenger Safety (BuckleUpMN)
Research
- Impact of Minnesota's Primary Seat Belt Law: An Evaluation Update (PDF)
Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2014 - The Impact of Legislation, Enforcement, and Sanctions on Safety Belt Use (PDF)
Transportation Research Board, 2008
Videos
- Room to Live (Fox9 News, 2012)
- Embrace Life—Always Wear Your Seatbelt (Sussex Safer Roads, 2010)
Legislation in Minnesota
- Minnesota's seat belt laws (Mn OTS)
Legislation Elsewhere
- U.S. safety belt use laws (IIHS)