Tennessee § 55-9-601 - Required — Specifications — Violations — Penalties.

§ 55-9-601. Required — Specifications — Violations — Penalties.

It is unlawful for any person to buy, sell, lease, trade or transfer from or to Tennessee residents, at retail, an automobile that is manufactured or assembled commencing with the 1964 models, unless the automobile is equipped with safety belts installed for use in the left front and right front seats. It is unlawful for any person to buy, sell, lease, trade or transfer from or to Tennessee residents, at retail, a passenger motor vehicle that is manufactured or assembled commencing with the 1969 models, unless the passenger motor vehicle is equipped with safety belts installed for use in every designated seating position of the motor vehicle. All such safety belts shall be of a type and be installed in a manner approved by the department of safety. The department shall establish specifications and requirements of approved types of safety belts and attachments. The department shall accept, as approved, all seat belt installations and the belt and anchor meeting the specifications of the Society of Automotive Engineers. As used in this section, unless specified otherwise, “passenger car” or “passenger motor vehicle” means any motor vehicle with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of eight thousand five hundred pounds (8,500 lbs.) or less that is not used as a public or livery conveyance for passengers. “Passenger car” or “passenger motor vehicle” does not apply to motor vehicles that are not required by federal law to be equipped with safety belts. A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor. No court costs shall be imposed or assessed against anyone convicted of a violation of this section. Acts 1963, ch. 102, §§ 1, 2; 1977, ch. 114, §§ 1, 2; T.C.A., § 59-930; Acts 1981, ch. 86, §§ 1, 2; 1985, ch. 183, § 1; T.C.A., § 55-9-214 ; Acts 1986, ch. 866, §§ 1-3; 1989, ch. 591, § 113. Cross-References. Penalty for Class C misdemeanor, § 40-35-111 . Textbooks. Tennessee Jurisprudence, 4 Tenn. Juris., Automobiles, § 37. Law Reviews. The Seat Belt Defense in Tennessee: The Cutting Edge, 29 U. Mem. L. Rev. 215 (1998).