Is that illegal?

[5150]

In Tennessee passenger cars after 62 all had seatbelts in them and trucks after 64 had them. As a former police officer I would never pull anybody over for the seatbelt law if they were driving an older vehicle because they could have their lap belt on. It's just a problem with the seatbelt law that not all officers are taught what vehicles have shoulder belts and which ones don't. I just knew because of my love of old cars.

I would think each jurisdiction and local court would have to have a policy on being pulled over for a seatbelt violation when all you have is lap belts. How did the officer know you didn't have your seatbelt on? Each court would have to deal with that situation and the judge would have to decide it there was enough probable cause/reasonable suspicion to stop that particular vehicle. The judge can't say "well, you still weren't wearing your seatbelt". That's like me stopping a car for no reason and getting lucky that they had 5 pounds of dope in the trunk!!! Then saying well they still had dope in the car.

[sleepyboy]

Seatbelts were mandatory after 1968[/QUOTE]

My 69 Step didn't have them; just nice little plastic plugs were they were optioned..But, when I bought the truck; that was the first thing I installed.

[Longhorn Man]

Seatbelts were mandatory after 1968

My 69 Step didn't have them; just nice little plastic plugs were they were optioned..But, when I bought the truck; that was the first thing I installed.

Do you mean seat belts... or shoulder harnesses?

[alblogg]

Seat belts in my opinion should be left alone to the year of the car or truck just like it was built especially ones being restored to factory originals. I mean who wants to see a '50 Merc with air bags and shoulder harnesses. But to answer any of the questions more I went to the shop and did an inventory on what cars and trucks I have there now working on to see what they had. A '68 Camaro SS lap and shoulder. A '70 GTX lap and shoulder. A '68 GMC C 10 lap belt and my '69 Chevy C10.

[TP from Cntl PA]

FWIW, I know of acouple locals who were running '67-'72 GM pickups and were pulled over, although the initial stop the township cop said it was for speeding(Said he was doing 38 in a 35 mph zone ) he only gave him a warning for it though, but the real cause in the owners opinion(And mine) was he wanted to see if he could nail him with the new seat belt law, because he didn't see the shoulder belt, and being a young guy, he thought the driver didn't have it on. Of-course he had the stock lap belt on and was left go on that as well after explaining the truck came new without them(Shoulder belt).

I still have two with lap belts only, and I bet it won't be long before I see lights in my mirror for essentially the same reason(Although they have to use another reason to pull you over).

[SCOTI]

My 74 only has lap belts but there are 3 for all available seating positions. Both of my earlier 67 & 68 have 2 lap-belts only.

That's the one thing about lap belts & getting pulled over for a traffic violation: The police won't have indisputable proof of whether you were or weren't wearing unless there are none in the truck @ all.

I require all under-age passengers to buckle-up. Over 18 & it's your decision.

[ETsC10]

Good point, Longhorn, on the harness installation. Not only is the installation of a five-point crucial but the adjustment, when wearing it, is also. The harnesses are meant to be worn d@mn tight and the only thing that makes them not so uncomfortable is the adrenalin of a racing situation. If you aren’t cinched in tight, they may not save your bacon in a major collision any better than an upgraded lap belt/shoulder harness set-up.

[Americanrider]

According to the letter of the law your screwed.... Just about everyone is unless you drive a 67.

http://www.kslegislature.org/legsrv-statutes

Here are the Kansas Stautes:

8-1749
Chapter 8.--AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER VEHICLES
Article 17.--UNIFORM ACT REGULATING TRAFFIC; EQUIPMENT OF VEHICLES

8-1749. Safety belts and shoulder harnesses. (a) Every passenger car manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1965, shall be equipped with at least two (2) lap-type safety belt assemblies for use in the front seating positions.

(b) Every passenger car manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1968, shall be equipped with a lap-type safety belt assembly for each permanent passenger seating position. This requirement shall not apply to police vehicles.

(c) Every passenger car manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1968, shall be equipped with at least two (2) shoulder harness-type safety belt assemblies for use in the front seating positions.

(d) The secretary of transportation shall except specified types of motor vehicles or seating positions within any motor vehicle from the requirements imposed by subsections (a) to (c) when compliance would be impractical.

(e) No person shall distribute, have for sale, offer for sale or sell any safety belt or shoulder harness for use in motor vehicles unless it meets current minimum standards and specifications approved by the secretary of transportation.

History: L. 1974, ch. 33, § 8-1749; L. 1975, ch. 427, § 44; Aug. 15.
********************************************
8-2502
Chapter 8.--AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER VEHICLES
Article 25.--SEAT BELTS

8-2502. Same; "passenger car" defined. As used in this act, "passenger car" means a motor vehicle, manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1968, or a motor vehicle manufactured or assembled prior to 1968 which was manufactured or assembled with safety belts, with motive power designed for carrying 10 passengers or fewer, including vans, but does not include a motorcycle, a trailer or a vehicle constructed either on a truck chassis registered for a gross weight of more than 12,000 pounds or a farm truck registered for a gross weight of more than 16,000 pounds or a vehicle constructed with special features for occasional off-road operation.
*******************************************
8-2503
Chapter 8.--AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER VEHICLES
Article 25.--SEAT BELTS

8-2503. Same; wearing of seat belt by certain persons required; exceptions; educational program; evaluation of effectiveness of act; act enforced only when driver stopped for violation of another law. (a) Except as provided in K.S.A. 8-1344 and 8-1345, and amendments thereto, and in subsection (b), each front seat occupant of a passenger car manufactured with safety belts in compliance with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208 shall have a safety belt properly fastened about such person's body at all times when the vehicle is in motion.

(b) This section does not apply to:

(1) An occupant of a passenger car who possesses a written statement from a licensed physician that such person is unable for medical reasons to wear a safety belt system;

(2) carriers of United States mail while actually engaged in delivery and collection of mail along their specified routes;

(3) newspaper delivery persons while actually engaged in delivery of newspapers along their specified routes; or

(4) an occupant of a passenger car required to be protected by a safety restraining system under the child passenger safety act.

(c) The secretary of transportation shall initiate an educational program designed to encourage compliance with the safety belt usage provisions of this act.

(d) The secretary shall evaluate the effectiveness of this act and shall include a report of its findings in the annual evaluation report on its highway safety plan that it submits under 23 U.S.C. 402.

(e) Law enforcement officers shall not stop drivers for violations of this act in the absence of another violation of law. A citation for violation of this act shall not be issued without citing the violation that initially caused the officer to effect the enforcement stop.

History: L. 1986, ch. 35, § 3; L. 1989, ch. 40, § 4; July 1.

[piecesparts]

Next time drive faster, maybe he won't be able to get you then. Oh and by the way, there were 67 Chevy trucks with seatbelts in them.

[71Dragtruck]

Originally Posted by ETsC10

Good point, Longhorn, on the harness installation. Not only is the installation of a five-point crucial but the adjustment, when wearing it, is also. The harnesses are meant to be worn d@mn tight and the only thing that makes them not so uncomfortable is the adrenalin of a racing situation. If you aren’t cinched in tight, they may not save your bacon in a major collision any better than an upgraded lap belt/shoulder harness set-up.

I say if your just putting in a set of 5-points cause they look cool DON'T bother, Like you said they have to be tight, are restictive and if not installed proper can crush your spine in a accident. Mine are in for racing purposes, and my stock lap belts are long gone, and not going back in for the 1 time a month it's street driven. Technically if I just wear the lap part I am just as safe if not safer due to quality then my factory lap belts, but still breaking the law. Like stated several times on here already, you are better to just nod your head and agree with what he says and then vent later to your buddies, or on here.

[Crummy]

NC Stautes-Exemptions:
» Vehicles not required to have belts. In general, these are cars made before 1968 and light trucks and vans made before 1972. ***I had a printed copy of this in the dash for those "young" cops. My '69 had no seatbelts. Seems you would have to be a truck fan to know a '69 from a '72 which was required to have a seatbelt.

[Longhorn Man]

I find it hard to believe that NC is able to remove federal safety guidlines from the law. I find it vary hard to believe.

[Crummy]

http://www.buckleupnc.org/laws_belts.cfm

[Longhorn Man]

oh I don't doubt thry have it on the books... but federal law prevents states from requireing you to add safety equipment that was not required in the first place.
and after reading that one, it implies that you are not required to have them in 72 and older truck..which again, conflicts with federal law.

[Americanrider]

Originally Posted by piecesparts

Next time drive faster, maybe he won't be able to get you then. Oh and by the way, there were 67 Chevy trucks with seatbelts in them.

Yea, I only have 4 1967's in my front yard. The shoulder belts is what I was refering to:

(b) Every passenger car manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1968, shall be equipped with a lap-type safety belt assembly for each permanent passenger seating position. This requirement shall not apply to police vehicles.

[piecesparts]

I realize that "Jacking" with the police is an art, but to make my day easier, I pulled the shoulder belt mounting brackets out of the cab of another and later model truck. I am going to fit them ito the chopped cab of my 68 and make sure that the belt cops leaave me alone. "Speeding" is another story all together.

[1969K10]

Aside from the fact that I HATE seatbelt laws, I enjoy my lap belts. I have been pulled over 2X's and slipped my lap belt on before he got up to the door. You can see the look of disappointment slide over their face when they look in and see that you have the lap belt on, and that there aren't shoulder straps in my truck!!!
I didn't read all the posts, but my understanding is that for cars it's 1964 and newer, and for trucks it was 1968 or newer...