Sen. Roland Pederson files legislation requiring seat belts for children in the back seat

Current Oklahoma law only requires children under the age of eight to be buckled up in the back seat of a car. AAA data shows car crashes to be the number one cause of death and injury for minors in Oklahoma as a result. State Sen. Roland Pederson, R-Burlington, says it’s time to buckle up.

Senate Bill 1303, by Pederson, would require every passenger 16 years and younger to wear a seat belt in the back seat. Current law requires everyone in the front seat of a vehicle to be buckled.

Oklahoma is the only state with no seat belt requirements for children over the age of eight riding in the back seat of a vehicle. Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Michigan, New York and Tennessee all require children 16 years and younger to be buckled up in the back seat. 

“Our goal is to lead Oklahoma to become a Top Ten state in the best categories, not the worst,” Pederson said. “We cannot accomplish Top Ten status while our state is leading the nation in minor deaths in traffic accidents due to a preventable cause. We can and must do better.”