§ 22-412.3. Seat belt requirements
West's Annotated Code of MarylandTransportationEffective: October 1, 2013
Effective: October 1, 2013
MD Code, Transportation, § 22-412.3
§ 22-412.3. Seat belt requirements
(b) A person may not operate a motor vehicle unless the person and each occupant under 16 years old are restrained by a seat belt or a child safety seat as provided in § 22-412.2 of this subtitle.
(c)(1) The provisions of this subsection apply to a person who is at least 16 years old.
(d) If a physician licensed to practice medicine in this State determines and certifies in writing that use of a seat belt by a person would prevent appropriate restraint due to a person's physical disability or other medical reason, the provisions of this section do not apply to the person.
(e) A certification under subsection (d) of this section shall state:
(f) The provisions of this section do not apply to U.S. Postal Service and contract carriers while delivering mail to local box routes.
(g) A violation of this section is not considered a moving violation for purposes of § 16-402 of this article.
(h)(1) Failure of an individual to use a seat belt in violation of this section may not:
(2) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (3) of this subsection, a party, witness, or counsel may not make reference to a seat belt during a trial of a civil action that involves property damage, personal injury, or death if the damage, injury, or death is not related to the design, manufacture, installation, supplying, or repair of a seat belt.
(3)(i) Nothing contained in this subsection may be construed to prohibit the right of a person to institute a civil action for damages against a dealer, manufacturer, distributor, factory branch, or other appropriate entity arising out of an incident that involves a defectively installed or defectively operating seat belt.
(ii) In a civil action in which 2 or more parties are named as joint tort-feasors, interpleaded as defendants, or impleaded as defendants, and 1 of the joint tort-feasors or defendants is not involved in the design, manufacture, installation, supplying, or repair of a seat belt, a court shall order separate trials to accomplish the ends of justice on a motion of any party.
(i) The Administration and the Department of State Police shall establish prevention and education programs to encourage compliance with the provisions of this section.
(j) The Administration shall include information on this State's experience with the provisions of this section in the annual evaluation report on the State's highway safety plan that this State submits to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Highway Administration under 23 U.S.C. § 402.
Credits
Added by Acts 1986, c. 287; Acts 1986, c. 288. Amended by Acts 1987, c. 213; Acts 1989, c. 5, § 1; Acts 1991, c. 466; Acts 1992, c. 280; Acts 1992, c. 482; Acts 1993, c. 5, § 1; Acts 1994, c. 165, § 3, eff. July 1, 1994; Acts 1994, c. 166, § 3, eff. July 1, 1994; Acts 1995, c. 3, § 2, eff. March 7, 1995; Acts 1996, c. 401, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 1996; Acts 1996, c. 402, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 1996; Acts 1997, c. 309, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 1997; Acts 1997, c. 310, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 1997; Acts 2013, c. 179, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2013.
MD Code, Transportation, § 22-412.3, MD TRANS § 22-412.3
Current through legislation effective through April 9, 2023, from the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Some statute sections may be more current, see credits for details.
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