<P> In the UK, a requirement for anchorage points was introduced in 1965, followed by the requirement in 1968 to fit three - point belts in the front outboard positions on all new cars and all existing cars back to 1965 . Successive UK Governments proposed, but failed to deliver, seat belt legislation throughout the 1970s . Front seat belts were compulsory equipment on all new cars registered in the UK from 1972, although it did not become compulsory for them to be worn until 1983 . Rear seat belts were compulsory equipment from 1986 and became compulsory for them to be worn in 1991 . However, it has never been a legal requirement for cars registered before those dates to be fitted with seat belts . In one such attempt in 1979 similar claims for potential lives and injuries saved were advanced . William Rodgers, then Secretary of State for Transport in the Callaghan Labour Government (1976--1979), stated: "On the best available evidence of accidents in this country - evidence which has not been seriously contested - compulsion could save up to 1000 lives and 10,000 injuries a year ." </P> <P> In the United States, seat belt legislation varies by state . The state of Wisconsin introduced legislation in 1961 requiring seat belts to be fitted to the front outboard seat positions of cars . Seat belts have been mandatory equipment since the 1968 model year per Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208 . </P> <P> New York State passed the first law in the US mandating the use of seat belts in 1984 under the leadership of John D. States, an orthopedic surgeon who dedicated his career to improving automotive safety . Depending on which state a driver is in, not wearing a seat belt in the front seat is either a primary offense or a secondary offense, with the exception of New Hampshire, which does not have a law requiring people over age 18 to wear a seat belt . In the front seat, the driver and each passenger must wear a seat belt, one person per belt . In some states, such as New York, New Hampshire, and Michigan, belts in the rear seats are not mandatory for people over the age of 16, though it is extremely advised . The driver and front - seat passengers aged 16 or older can be fined up to $50 each for failure to buckle up . In California, you must be 15 years or older to accompany the driver in the front seat . Children 14 and younger must sit in the rear seat until they reach the age of 15. Template: DMV.org </P> <P> A primary offense means that a police officer can pull a driver over for the seat belt law violation alone, and secondary offense indicates that one can be punished for a seat belt law violation only if they are already pulled over for another reason . By January 2007 25 states and the District of Columbia had primary seat belt laws, 24 had secondary seat belt laws, and New Hampshire had no laws . In 2009, Public Health Law Research published several evidence briefs summarizing the research assessing the effect of a specific law or policy on public health . One stated, "Safety belt laws work, but there is strong evidence to support that primary enforcement safety belt laws are more effective than secondary enforcement laws in increasing seat belt use and reducing crash injuries ." </P>

When did it become law to wear seat belts