Did you know that in South Carolina every occupant of a vehicle must wear a seat belt?

It’s true.

Not wearing a seat belt is a primary offense.

That means a law enforcement officer can stop you if you or any of your passengers are not wearing your seat belts. The same goes for not securing a child in a car seat.

Seat belt violations come with a $25 fine.

If you’re the driver, you’re responsible for ensuring everyone in your vehicle 17 years of age or younger is wearing a safety belt or in their car seat.

Passengers over age 17 are responsible for their own seat belts. They will receive the fine if caught not wearing one. Same for those under 17 who already have a driver’s license or permit.

Seat belt laws do not apply to school, church, or daycare buses, public transportation vehicles (except taxis), when riding in a parade, mail carriers, or medical/rescue personnel who are attending to injured or sick individuals in an emergency vehicle.

The SC Department of Public Safety reports at least 1 person dies every hour from not buckling up.

“Failure to use a seat belt contributes to more fatalities than any other single traffic-related behavior,” says the SCDPS.

Seat belt usage saved an estimated 14,955 lives in 2017, according to | the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Of the people who died in 2017 due to motor vehicle crashes, 47% weren’t wearing seat belts.

Buckling up is the single most effective thing you can do to protect yourself in the event of a motor vehicle crash. Seat belts do save lives.