Seat Belt Laws?

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nofearfactor

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I wear my belt usually and dont get pulled over much around out here or in between here and Tulsa and Im an admitted speedster scofflaw, it just depends on what Im driving for some weird reason. My SUV and Blazer are both lifted with big tires and dark tint and I hardly ever get pulled over in them local its usually when Im really speeding out on the turnpike, then its OHP, even with a decent RD its hard to not cross into their devices crosshairs. My 2 black sports cars total opposite, if its nighttime especially late nights I get followed alot by any cops and have been pulled over in them way more than my trucks so I wear my belts in them because theyre cop magnets anyways. My Infinity it was exhaust loudness the last time I was pulled over in it- once he was satisfied it was legal I was on my way; my Supra always gets me pulled over for speeding because that car is hard not to speed around in and not a car youre gonna get a warning in either. When I dont have my belt on tho, alot of times I do but sometimes I get lazy or something and just dont (dont worry, I am well covered by insurance and assets), I hurry and put it on if Im getting pulled over. I have been pulled over before by our local Coweta police and not had it on and when they came up they asked me if I saw them and why didnt I hurry and put it on and I said because I thought I was caught already and he said he was giving me a chance to put it on and I didnt so I was getting a ticket. Wtf.

With that said, Ive been in 3 accidents the 13 years Ive lived out here. None my fault.
My first year here I was in a 350Z at 71st and Mingo and a girl blew thru the light and plowed right into me Tboning me with a big SUV. I didnt have my belt on but those freakin airbags saved my azz, damn did they, yellow smoky shiite from the airbags was everywhere. And the crush zones of that car just totally seemed to wrap around me. And that car was totalled. I went to the ER at the urging of the offending motorist and the cops but I was ok. It was on her dime so I had to do it I guess.
2 years in a row, both times on Xmas Eve, I was hit from behind while sitting in large SUV 4x4s and had my belt on both times and I walked away unharmed. My lifted Blazer K5 I was sitting at hwy 51 and 81st in BA at the light and an off duty Tulsa cop pulled up to stop and she said something went in the floor and she reached to get it and looked up and popped me right in the back on the right side, busted out my taillight and smashed in my quarter but inside we were all belted down and good, no one was hurt, and it was still driveable after stopping at OReillys for some broken tailight red fixit tape. The next year me and my kid were in a big lifted Ford SUV 4x4 and had pulled off of 169 southbound to exit at 71st St east but traffic was backed up and we were still sitting half on 169. I still had my foot on the brake when I looked up in my rearview mirror and saw a car coming and it didnt look like it was sllowing and it didnt it hit us straight on right in the rear. All it did to us was rattle our heads a bit but we were good, only damage to ours was it knocked the undercarriage stuff loose and bend some tailpipe a bit, but completely totalled her Lexus. When it was repaired we did have to have the seat belt tensioners replaced because theyre like air bags apparently, once they do their job they need replaced.
 
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EhlerDave

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I guess I should add this.

The $20 ticket was more than what my wife needed for one of her meds. The fact that the ticket was dismissed but still cost $20 seems wrong. If the man we talked to had been polite and just said hey they have a way to keep you from getting this type of ticket but you dont have that exemption I would understand. He had no reason to get so upset over the two of us doing what the trooper told her to do, bring a medical note saying she cant use the belt over the left shoulder.

I am just mad that the fella dealing with tickets either does not know the law or lied to us. Now if he does not know the law how often is he wrong and the people pay for his ignorance? If he just lied how often do the people pay for that?

I think the best thing for me to do is take a copy of the info to him, then if he does it to the next person and does not tell them that Oklahoma does have a way for a medical waiver, we will know the answer. I would be willing to bet few people have such a waiver, but my concern is for the best outcome for my wife.

Now that I had to go borrow $20 until payday, we are off to get her meds, with a seat belt worn improperly. It may not seem like a lot of money, a few years ago it was not, these days it is the difference in keeping her healthy or not.

If anyone found my post offensive or upsetting, well go talk to the man at the court house, he started it. :)
 

swampratt

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My 1984 ford van did not have seat belts. Someone took them all out before i got the van.

I installed lap belts. I was pulled over a few times for not wearing a seat belt .. they would notice i had a lap belt on.. I was set free.
maybe cut the shoulder belts out and install lap belts.

The law as i read it does not state original equipment belts anywhere It does state how to wear the different kinds though.
Here is what i read.
http://ok.gov/ohso/documents/Safety Belt Law NFO.pdf
 

tRidiot

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I think if they want to push the issue, alteration of OEM belts is illegal. Don't quote me, I've never read a statute on it, just been told by OHP in my EMS days. We had someone in a wreck whose "functional" seatbelts had been fastened with twist-ties... yeah... the bread bag kind. <sigh> That girl ended up needing some pretty extensive plastic surgery. :( Think Heath Ledger's "Joker" character and you'd be in the right ballpark.


<edit> I went to college with her... she wasn't exactly "cute" to begin with. :(
 

swampratt

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In the link I posted it states.
Cars manufactured after 1967 and
vans, pickup trucks and sport utility
vehicles after 1971 are required by
Federal standards to have safety
belts. Belts must be installed in
these vehicles if the original belts
have been removed or are otherwise
not operational.
Belts do not have to
be added on older models.

I read the link and nothing in there stated original equipment needed to be installed in the vehicle.
All 3 times i was pulled over in my 84 ford van I told the officers that i had Chevy and Dodge and Toyota belts in my van, all lap belts.
They stated good enough and we went on our way.

Lap belts have been around for a long time..Heck before seat belts were mandatory many circle track racers used lap belts and walked away from some terrible crashes.
But those cars were modified with crash bars and cages.
Many could flip on their top and be rolled back over , add oil and back in the game.

I am just saying a lap belt is better than NO belt.

I installed Lap belts in my 1947 dodge truck.
Not required but ..I have left my forehead mark on a couple windshields and really do not care for that.
 

vvvvvvv

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I am just mad that the fella dealing with tickets either does not know the law or lied to us. Now if he does not know the law how often is he wrong and the people pay for his ignorance? If he just lied how often do the people pay for that?

This is why I have a hard time trusting the police. A citizen is presumed to know every law that applies within the jurisdiction where they are present solely because the publication of a law is deemed sufficient notification. A law enforcement officer's orders are presumed lawful until you prove that the order was unlawful. Even then, law enforcement officers are given the benefit of the doubt that they may not be able to know and keep up with every law.
 

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