Home / Blog / Auto Insurance / Will a Seatbelt Ticket Raise Insurance?
Not only do seatbelts keep you safe in the event of an accident, but they can also prevent you from getting a ticket.
In all states except for New Hampshire, you are required by law to wear a seatbelt in a moving vehicle. Even in New Hampshire, minors under the age of 18 still need to be wearing a seatbelt.
If caught not wearing a seatbelt, an officer can issue you a ticket. Though the consequences of this type of ticket are minor compared to that of other violations, there is reason enough to take precautions. But does a seatbelt ticket raise your insurance? We’ll get into that and more, below.
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Seatbelt tickets are a conditional violation. This means that an officer cannot pull you over simply because you are not wearing a seatbelt.
Instead, you will be pulled over for something else, such as running a red light, and then you can be issued a seatbelt ticket if the officer notices you were not wearing one. The initial violation will typically cost more in fines and in insurance rates, but the seatbelt ticket is still an added nuisance.
The laws surrounding seatbelt tickets vary from state to state. The rules around tickets depend on the state you’re in, not necessarily your home state.
Some states classify seatbelt tickets as non-moving violations. In these cases, seatbelt tickets are treated similarly to how parking tickets are. They involve a fine, and so long as that fine is paid on time without issue, it will not affect your insurance premiums.
The following is a list of states that currently classify seatbelt tickets as a non-moving violation (but keep in mind, these laws are subject to change):
In other states, seatbelt tickets are classified as moving violations and are therefore treated more seriously. Other moving violations include speeding or running a red light. The more moving violations on your driving record, the more that your insurance rates will increase.
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Depending on the state, if a passenger is not wearing a seatbelt, the ticket may or may not be issued to them. If the passenger is a minor, then the driver will always receive the ticket. But if the passenger is an adult, it may or may not go to the driver.
Be sure to read up on the laws in your state to understand how seatbelt tickets are handled.
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The short answer is that it depends on the state. But it’s better to play it safe and wear your seatbelt at all times—it might just save your life.
Margaret Huntley Margaret Huntley is a creative writing and philosophy student at Western University. She has been working as a freelance writer for over two years and has written about everything from insurance, to poker, to health and wellness for international businesses.