Law vs. Best Practices
Seat Belt Best Practice: The driver and all passengers should wear occupant protection systems and all occupant protection systems should be properly adjusted and fastened.
Nebraska Seat Belt Law: The driver, each front-seat occupant in the vehicle and all children six years of age and less than 18 years of age must wear occupant protection systems and all occupant protection systems worn are properly adjusted and fastened. All persons being transported by a motor vehicle operated by a holder of a provisional operator's permit or a school permit shall use occupant protection systems and all occupant protection systems worn are properly adjusted and fastened. This is a secondary law, which means the driver is cited for this violation only if cited or charged with an additional violation or some other offense. The violation shall be assessed against the driver of vehicle result in a $25.00 fine.
Newton’s Law: An object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by another force.
Vehicle occupants travel at the same rate of speed as the vehicle. When a crash occurs, the vehicle comes to an abrupt stop. Vehicle occupants will continue to travel at the previous rate of speed until acted upon by a force, such as a seat belt. A seat belt tethers an occupant’s body to the car so it slows and stops with the car. An unrestrained occupant will remain in motion until stopped by a collision with the steering wheel, the windshield, or an object outside the vehicle.