Author Topic: Seat Belt Laws  (Read 4078 times)

Offline septantrionalis

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Seat Belt Laws
« on: May 27, 2018, 10:07:04 AM »
Does anyone have any information on what seat belt I should have in my truck?  Its a 1974 Chevy K10 pickup with a lap belt.  I just got a ticket for "not wearing my sea belt", even though I had my lap belt on.  I tried explaining it to the officer, but he just shrugged it off.  I can't find much information as to whether or not this truck came with a lap belt back in the day, or if I am required to put a three point system in there, etc.

Offline Big Chip

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Re: Seat Belt Laws
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2018, 10:44:34 AM »
Does anyone have any information on what seat belt I should have in my truck?  Its a 1974 Chevy K10 pickup with a lap belt.  I just got a ticket for "not wearing my sea belt", even though I had my lap belt on.  I tried explaining it to the officer, but he just shrugged it off.  I can't find much information as to whether or not this truck came with a lap belt back in the day, or if I am required to put a three point system in there, etc.
I was able to find this:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1346069-when-did-shoulder-belts-become-mandatory-in-pickups.html

It appears trucks were different than cars for the shoulder belt requirements. I would fight the ticket and find the pertinent law and carry a copy with you for next time.


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Offline Rapid Roy

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Re: Seat Belt Laws
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2018, 12:18:46 PM »
I do not know your state, this is what I found for Texas. Try google "Seat belt laws for classic cars"  for your state. Maybe you can find out the information you need.

Sec. 547.601. SAFETY BELTS REQUIRED. A motor vehicle required by Chapter 548 to be inspected shall be equipped with front safety belts if safety belt anchorages were part of the manufacturer's original equipment on the vehicle.
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Offline topp

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Re: Seat Belt Laws
« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2018, 01:23:29 PM »
I'd take a picture of your vehicle to court. The judge will RIP into the cop.

Seat belt laws are simple- has nothing to do with classic cars.

You must have at minimum what came factory.  So if you had lap belts, and you upgrade to shoulder, you're ok.  But if you had shoulder, and you down grade to laps belts, it's a no no.

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Offline big_al273

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Re: Seat Belt Laws
« Reply #4 on: May 27, 2018, 01:25:56 PM »
if the ticket is for "failure to use seat belt" and your were in fact wearing the lap belt, then the ticket will (should) be dropped go to court and explain that you were in fact wearing the lap belt your truck is equipt with (maybe even bring a picture showing you just have lap belts and no shoulder belt) and you should be sent on your way. Personally I think the cop just didn't want to admit to being wrong about you not having a belt on because it looked like you didn't before he pulled you over
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Offline 77 Scottsdale

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Re: Seat Belt Laws
« Reply #5 on: May 27, 2018, 02:57:19 PM »
I got lap belts in my 77 but ive passed tons of cops and one time my friend was driving my truck and I was with him and a cop pulled us over because he chirped the tires and he told us "thanks for wearing your seat belts" even though I have the bolt holes for shoulder belts. But I live in a small town and a farming community maybe they just don't care.

Offline topp

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Re: Seat Belt Laws
« Reply #6 on: May 27, 2018, 07:46:04 PM »
if the ticket is for "failure to use seat belt" and your were in fact wearing the lap belt, then the ticket will (should) be dropped go to court and explain that you were in fact wearing the lap belt your truck is equipt with (maybe even bring a picture showing you just have lap belts and no shoulder belt) and you should be sent on your way. Personally I think the cop just didn't want to admit to being wrong about you not having a belt on because it looked like you didn't before he pulled you over
More like the cop thinks there were only shoulder belts ever in his 25 year life

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Offline Henry

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Re: Seat Belt Laws
« Reply #7 on: May 28, 2018, 09:15:18 AM »
Hi Septantrionalis:
I think your 74 truck came from the factory with just lap belts. When I bought my 76 C-20 used, it had just lap belts only. It had the holes up high in the cab for the shoulder belts, but the threads in the holes appeared not to have ever been used...paint was still on them. Do you have these holes? I think the Federal govt started mandating automakers to put in provisions for lap and shoulder belts in the early 70s, but left it to the individual states as to implement seat belt requirements. So I think lap belts were first and then shoulder belts came later on a state by state case. Sorry I cannot give you the timelines. I would encourage someone to verify this.

Having said that, I think Rapid Roy is right...for your state, you should be able to google the laws about what your seat belt requirements are. If it turns out that your state simply says you have to have what was delivered from the dealer in your state, then you just have to maybe show the judge some literature that discusses what minimum safety equip was delivered on your truck and if you have the upper shoulder belt holes that these were not necessarily used.

Regards,
Henry

Offline Henry

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Re: Seat Belt Laws
« Reply #8 on: May 28, 2018, 10:44:48 AM »
Hi Septantrionalis:
From a little bit of internet browsing, I came across the DOT Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard  571.208. Paragraph S4.2 is applicable to pick-up trucks. As I read it, only starting in 1976 did the Federal govt mandate the auto manufacturers to have some sort of seat belt in trucks when supplied by dealers. Essentially there were 3 options the factories had:
1) no seat belts if the occupants could meet certain crash reqts.
2) Type 1 belts (lap belts)
3) Type 2 belts (lap + shoulder belt)

GM (and any manufacturer) could not meet option #1 so I think you would see either #2 or #3 in GM trucks starting in 1976. I dont know where to look to find what exactly GM did supply...my GM service books and owners manual do not discuss seat belts at all (!). So, prior to 1976, I think the DOT had less stringent laws as far as what was the crash test requirements, but I think at least the above options of required safety equip were still mandatory to be put in the vehicle by the manufacturer and this probably started in 1968 as opposed to the early 1970s as I have suggested.

So from the FMVS standard 571.208 you should be able to argue that your truck came only with lap belts. You still need to see what your state requirements are as they may over-ride what the federal minimum requirements were as far as usage or upgrading classic or antique vehicles.
Regards,
Henry


Offline VileZambonie

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Re: Seat Belt Laws
« Reply #9 on: May 28, 2018, 01:48:59 PM »
1974 came with lap belts. Provisions were there for shoulder belts under the trim but most people didn't bother paying extra or bother even wearing seat belts at all. My 74 came with lap belts only and I believe it shows just lap belts in the owners manual but I don't have that in front of me at the moment.
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Offline Irish_Alley

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Re: Seat Belt Laws
« Reply #10 on: May 29, 2018, 08:59:05 AM »
take the ticket to court. the judge will be old enough to know that trucks came with lap belts and will throw the ticket out. the cop will (may) learn that things arnt as simple and laws change
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Offline 75gmck25

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Re: Seat Belt Laws
« Reply #11 on: May 29, 2018, 12:56:10 PM »
My '75 only had lap belts from the factory, and it has Silverado trim (the highest level that year).   Shoulder belts may have been an option.

The threaded holes were there in the door frame for shoulder belts, but I had to take off the trim and drill it out so I could access the hole.   However, the lower part of the aftermarket combination lap/shoulder belts is not exactly the same length as factory belts, so they don't really fit the way I want.

Bruce