For those of you residing in Illinois, a new seat belt law will take effect in the new year.

The new legislation requires all passengers in the back seat to wear seat belts. Previously, backseat passengers over the age of 19 were exempt but with a stronger focus on automobile safety, that has changed. In 2010, 38 back seat passengers who were not wearing seat belts died in crashes in Illinois.

Marva Boyd, chief of staff for IDOT, says that unbelted passengers pose a danger to everyone inside the vehicle, “There have been incidents where passengers have been projected from vehicles, have been bounced around, and unfortunately sometimes when that happens, they can create other injuries or fatalities”. – WJBC

The new legislation starts January 1, 2012. Fines for violating this new law start at $25.

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