13 States You Don’t Have to Wear a Seatbelt in the Rear Seat

For most of us, the idea of clicking that seat belt into place as soon as we slide into the car is second nature. For back-seat passengers, however, the rules get a little murkier. Believe it or not, seat belt laws vary pretty widely depending on which state you are in, and in some, rear-seat passengers aren’t legally required to buckle up. Yes, you read that right—there are places where backseat riders can just let that seat belt sit idle.

This begs the question: does this mean you should ditch the seat belt and throw caution to the wind if you find yourself in one of these states? Not necessarily. Seat belts have saved a lot of lives, and whether it’s legally required or not, most consider wearing one to be pretty much a no-brainer. Let’s dive into the 13 states where rear-seat seat belt laws are a little more lenient and unpack why these rules exist in the first place.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire is famously the “Live Free or Die” state, and that attitude has trickled into the lenient approach towards seat belt laws. As the only state in the country without a primary seat belt law for adults, it’s no shock it doesn’t force its rear-seat passengers to buckle up either. It’s freedom, quite literally, though most would say it’s not a very wise decision.

Missouri

In Missouri, only passengers in front seats and children under 16 must buckle up. Adults in the back seat are not required to abide by seat belt laws. However, safety experts say an unbuckled backseat passenger can suffer a critical injury when an accident occurs.

South Dakota

Rear-seat belt laws are not universal in South Dakota. South Dakota requires drivers and front-seat passengers to buckle up, but backseat occupants can ride unbuckled. However, parents take note: For kids, the seat belt rules are considerably stricter, with proper restraints for younger passengers required, regardless of where they are seated.

Montana

In Big Sky Country, Montana, the law doesn’t require rear-seat passengers over 18 to buckle up. This laxity in approach has seen some safety advocates raise concern, noting that seat belts are very important for all occupants of a vehicle irrespective of their sitting position. In Montana, your seatbelt decision is left entirely up to you—but gravity doesn’t negotiate.

Arkansas

Arkansas requires seat belts for front-seat occupants and passengers under 15. However, adults in the rear seats aren’t legally required to wear seat belts. Though it is not legally demanded, it is always safer to buckle up no matter where one sits.

Florida

In Florida, the Sunshine State, buckling up in the back seat is required only for those under 18. That’s right, adults can enjoy a breezy, belt-free ride if they so desire. However, Florida’s notoriously high rates of traffic-related injuries and fatalities might give one a pause before availing oneself of this legal leeway.

Arizona

Arizona does not have a law requiring adults in the back seat to wear a seat belt. While the front seat is a no-compromise zone, some flexibility is afforded to the back seat. The open roads of the state may make one feel like skipping the belt, but as safety experts say, an accident can occur anywhere, even under those clear desert skies.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts is one of the states where it’s legal to allow rear-seat passengers to forgo wearing the seat belt. Though the state enacts some of the toughest legislation related to drivers and front-seat riders, anyone riding in the backseat over the age of 13 doesn’t have to abide by this rule. Local debates often question whether this rule makes people freer, or just at risk.  

Wyoming

Wyoming, with its rough outdoors and cowboy spirit, does not require backseat passengers above the age of 18 to buckle up. To many locals, this freedom aligns with the state’s independent streak, though the idea has repeatedly been challenged by safety advocates.

North Dakota

Like its neighbor in the south, North Dakota does not have a law requiring seat belt use for back-seat passengers. Kids have to be buckled up, but once you reach adulthood, the law looks the other way. That leniency doesn’t hold up very well to the physics involved in an automobile collision, serving as a reminder that you’re often better off being safe than sorry.

Nebraska

Nebraska requires only its front-seat passengers and children to buckle up. Backseat passengers aged 18 and older can skip the belts. Safety advocates have long pushed for tougher laws, pointing out that a car crash does not differentiate between front and back seats when doling out injuries.

Iowa

Iowa’s laws regarding rear-seat passengers are very lax. The state does require seat belt use for drivers and front-seat passengers but doesn’t require backseat riders, ages 18 or over to have them on. Left to individual discretion in this Midwestern state, safety advocates encourage everyone in the vehicle to wear one voluntarily.

Vermont

In Vermont, the scenic Green Mountain State, no law requires rear-seat passengers, 18 years and over, to buckle up. Even though Vermont is so progressive on many environmental fronts and other aspects of safety, this lacuna in the seat belt law usually raises calls by the safety community to be consistent with most other states.