A driver who fails to use a seat belt or fails to require a passenger to use one may be convicted of a criminal offense if there is an accident resulting in serious injury or death, the Jersey Supreme Court ruled on Sept. 18^th, 2014.  Each case will be determined on its own facts, but now there is precedent in New Jersey which allows the police to charge you with a crime should an accident occur leading to an injury of a passenger in your car who did not wear a seatbelt. The charge will now be allowed under N.J.S.A. 2C:40-18—that criminalizes knowingly violating a “law intended to protect the public health and safety” through reckless conduct that injures another. The Supreme Court found that 2C:40-18 encompasses the Seat Belt Law.

One more reason to ALWAYS have everyone in the car wear their seat belts.