Come Jan. 1, Back Seat Riders Must Buckle Up In Illinois

From the Southtown Star:

Beginning Jan. 1, Illinois will require all passengers, including previously exempt back seat riders age 18 and older, to buckle up.

“It’s a good law,” New Lenox Deputy Police Chief April DiSandro said. “It makes sense. If you have to be belted in the front seat, why not the back?”

The bill, which was sponsored by state Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) and the late state Rep. Mark Beaubien (R-Barrington Hills), was signed into law during the summer. It allows police officers to stop a car if they spot an unbuckled rider. Fines start at $25 but can be more, depending on court costs.