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The
law covers the driver and the front seat passenger next
to the door, if the passenger is at least 16 years of
age. Maryland's law allows primary enforcement, i.e.,
police may stop a vehicle and issue citations to
violators solely for violating the seat belt law. Both
the driver and an adult passenger may receive tickets for
not wearing seat belts.
Maryland's Child Passenger Safety Laws
The new law requires that all children younger than
six years of age, regardless of weight, or who weigh 40
pounds or less, regardless of age, must be secured in a
federally approved child safety seat* according to the
safety seat and vehicle manufacturers' instructions.
Child safety seats include: infant seats, convertible
seats, forward-facing seats, booster seats, or other
safety devices federally approved for use by children in
motor vehicles.
A person may not transport a child younger than 16 years
of age unless the child is secured in a child safety seat
or a vehicle's seat belt.
A child younger than 16 years may not ride in an
unenclosed cargo bed of a pick-up truck.
A vehicle can be stopped and the driver issued a citation
for a violation of these laws. Currently the fines for
failing to buckle up children and for allowing a child to
ride in an unenclosed cargo truck bed are $48 and $50,
respectively.
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