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Buckle Up Vermont Campaign

During the course of May and June, the Windham County Highway Safety Task force consisting of members of the Windham County Sheriff's Office, Bellows Falls Police Department, Brattleboro Police Department and Dover Police Department, will be conducting checkpoints and saturation patrols in support of the Buckle Up Vermont occupant protection campaign in conjunction with the NHTSA national Click it or Ticket campaign. We'd like to remind you to always buckle up, for every trip, no matter the distance.

"Buckle Up. You're Worth Every Click."

Wearing a seat belt is crucial to surviving a crash. Air bags are not enough to protect you—in fact, the force of an air bag can seriously injure or even kill you if you’re not buckled up properly. Seat belts save lives.

The Vermont State Highway Safety Office (SHSO) along with State and Local police are serious about seat belt safety. Seat belt use in Vermont in 2022 is estimated to be at 90%, yet still far too many people in our state continue to die as a result of being unrestrained when they are involved in a motor vehicle crash.


Vermont Seat Belt Law Highlights

23 V.S.A. § 1259 "Seat Belt Use over the age of 18"

Everyone in the vehicle, including backseat passengers and children, must wear seat belts properly.

The driver will receive a fine of $25.00 for a first violation; $50.00 for a second violation; $100.00 for third and subsequent violations.

Lap and shoulder belts must be worn and shoulder belts must NOT be placed behind the back or under the arm.

23 V.S.A. § 1258 "Child restraint systems; persons under age 18"

All children under the age of one, and all children weighing less than 20 pounds, regardless of age, shall be restrained in a rear-facing position, properly secured in a federally approved child passenger restraining system, which shall not be installed in front of an active air bag.

A child weighing more than 20 pounds, and who is one year of age or older and under the age of eight years, shall be restrained in a child passenger restraining system.

A child eight through 17 years of age shall be restrained in a safety belt system or a child passenger restraining system.

The driver will receive a fine of $25.00 for a first violation; $50.00 for a second violation; $100.00 for third and subsequent violations