MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Starting next week, a new law will require everyone inside a vehicle in the State of Alabama to “click it or ticket.” 

Beginning on September 1, the law, which was passed during the Legislature’s last session, will require that all passengers inside a vehicle be buckled up. The current law only applies to minors in the back seat and passengers in the front seat. 

The new law declares that not wearing a seatbelt in the backseat will be considering a secondary violation, meaning a ticket can only be written for this offense if the vehicle is already stopped or pulled over for a separate offense. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated that in 2017, 47 percent of the 37,000 people killed in car crashes were not wearing seat belts. 

According to nhtsa.gov, the national use rate for seatbelts in 2018 was 89.6%. 

“This should definitely decrease the amount of injuries [and] accidents in DeKalb County and all across the State of Alabama,” said DeKalb County Sheriff Nick Welden. “[I] Hope people realize it’s definitely needed or it wouldn’t have been brought to [the] attention of public safety officials and lawmakers.”

“Accidents and injuries appear to be on the rise across the entire state, putting more young folks at risk or injury or death, so Lord willing, people will heed to the new seat belt law and work together,” concluded Welden.

The bill was passed through the Legislature in May of this year with the effort spearheaded by Sen. David Burkette (D-Montgomery). It was passed by the Alabama House of Representatives by a vote of 76-17.