Is there now a primary seat belt law in AZ? (vanity)

My Demented Mind | July 1, 2004 | me

[Still Thinking]

Is there now a primary seat belt law in AZ (one that allows a traffic stop just for the seat belt violation)? My wife keeps insisting DPS has announced this on the radio, but the last I heard about it, the bill to make it so was defeated at the same time that rural speed limits were increased. I looked on AZ government pages, DPS website, and here, and couldn't find any reference at all.

[Az. Mike]

Yeah, they call the program 'Click it or Ticket'. I've heard a slew of radio ads for it. I've been used to wearing a seat belt for so long, it's just second nature.

[NavySEAL F-16]

Yep, we need Janet to take care of us. It's for the common good! LOL

[FITZ]

There is every place else I think --- so I would guess yes.

[HiJinx]

Home page for the Arizona State Legislature:

http://www.azleg.state.az.us/

Section 28-909 of the Arizona Revised Statutes located here:

http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ars/28/00909.htm

Says the following in Section C:

C. A peace officer shall not stop or issue a citation to a person operating a motor vehicle on a highway in this state for a violation of this section unless the peace officer has reasonable cause to believe there is another alleged violation of a motor vehicle law of this state.

***Snip***

As of the latest session, the State of Arizona does not have a Primary Seat Belt law. That may change, but has not yet.

[HiJinx]

Unless the online database at the State Legislature is out of date, the DPS does not have the authority to make a stop solely for a seat belt violation.

Title 28, Section 909C.

[Az. Mike]

All I can tell you is that there has been a huge radio blitz about it, here in Az. The speaker says something to the effect of "I'm giving you this friendly warning, because the cops aren't writing warnings. So click it or ticket". Make of it what you will.

[HiJinx]

I've heard something like that too. I'm down here in Sierra Vista.

But the law as printed isn't at all vague. They'd better have a reason besides a seatbelt violation for pulling you over in the first place.

Of course, primary violations aren't that hard to find...speeding being a biggie.

[Neil E. Wright]

According to the State's website (here):

28-909. Vehicle restraints required; exceptions; civil penalty

==== snip ----
C. A peace officer shall not stop or issue a citation to a person operating a motor vehicle on a highway in this state for a violation of this section unless the peace officer has reasonable cause to believe there is another alleged violation of a motor vehicle law of this state.

Emphasis is mine .... :)

±

"The Era of Osama lasted about an hour, from the time the first plane hit the tower to the moment the General Militia of Flight 93 reported for duty."
Toward FREEDOM

[nothingnew]

The phrase here in Colorado (4 corners area) is "Lick It or Ticket".

FMCDH(BIYS)

[Still Thinking]

Well, "Click it or Ticket" may just indicated stepped up enforcement, as in once you have been stopped, don't expect a ticket on the seat belt violation, but that doesn't necessarily imply that they've made the violation a primary stop.

[Still Thinking]

Erps, it's getting late, should have been "don't expect a ticket WARNING on the seat belt violation"

[backhoe]

The speaker says something to the effect of "I'm giving you this friendly warning, because the cops aren't writing warnings. So click it or ticket".

Cute.

Time to enforce term limits by tossing these totalitarian SOB's out of office.

We have this damn-fool law in Georgia, and it's an insult to freedom-loving Americans everywhere. I ran a wrecker service from 1991 until 1999, and before that in the 1970's, and yes, a seatbelt improves your chances of surviving a wreck... but you should have the choice.

It's your life, not theirs, to risk.