NY Lawmakers Want to See Adults Buckle Up in the Backseat

Seatbelt laws have been on the books for years, but now legislators are looking to the backseat buckles.

The New York State Assembly and Senate passed legislation that would require all backseat passengers to buckle up. There's already a law that requires kids 16 and under to buckle up - but now adults might be subject to the same law.

According to recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, almost half of the 37,133 people killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2017 were not wearing a seatbelt.

The bill's sponsor, Senator David Carlucci said, “Requiring the use of a seat belt in the back seat will save lives and prevent tragedies. Numbers do not lie. If you fail to buckle up in the backseat, experts say you are 2 times more likely to be killed and 8 times more likely to be seriously injured."

The bill would need to be signed by Governor Cuomo in order to become law.