Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 347 - Equipment of vehicles.
347.48 - Safety belts and child safety restraint systems.

347.48 Safety belts and child safety restraint systems.
(1) Safety belts required.
(a) No person may buy, sell, lease, trade or transfer a motor vehicle other than an automobile at retail from or to Wisconsin residents unless the vehicle is equipped with safety belts installed for use as required under 49 CFR 571, and no such vehicle may be operated in this state unless such belts remain installed.
(b) No person may buy, sell, lease, trade or transfer an automobile that is required under 49 CFR 571 to be equipped with safety belts from or to a resident of this state unless the front designated seating positions of the automobile are equipped with safety belts installed for use as required under 49 CFR 571 and unless each rear outboard designated seating position of the automobile is equipped with a safety belt consisting of a combination of a pelvic and upper torso restraint that conforms to standards for a Type 2 seat belt assembly under 49 CFR 571.209, and no automobile may be operated in this state unless such belts remain installed. Nothing in this section applies to antique reproductions.
(2) Type and manner of installing. All such safety belts must be of a type and must be installed in a manner approved by the department. The department shall establish specifications and requirements for approved types of safety belts and attachments thereto. The department will accept, as approved, all seat belt installations and the belt and anchor meeting the society of automotive engineers' specifications.
(2m) Required use.
(a) In this subsection, “properly restrained" means wearing a safety belt approved by the department under sub. (2) and fastened in a manner prescribed by the manufacturer of the safety belt which permits the safety belt to act as a body restraint.
(b) If a motor vehicle is required to be equipped with safety belts in this state, no person may operate that motor vehicle unless the person is properly restrained in a safety belt.
(c) If a motor vehicle is required to be equipped with safety belts in this state, no person may operate that motor vehicle unless each passenger who is at least 8 years old and who is seated at a designated seating position in the front seat required under 49 CFR 571 to have a safety belt installed or at a designated seating position in the seats, other than the front seats, for which a safety belt is required to be installed is properly restrained.
(d) If a motor vehicle is required to be equipped with safety belts in this state, no person who is at least 8 years old and who is seated at a designated seating position in the front seat required under 49 CFR 571 to have a safety belt installed or at a designated seating position in the seats, other than the front seats, for which a safety belt is required to be installed may be a passenger in that motor vehicle unless the person is properly restrained.
(dm) Paragraphs (b), (c) and (d) do not apply to the operation of an authorized emergency vehicle by a law enforcement officer or other authorized operator under circumstances in which compliance could endanger the safety of the operator or another.
(dr) Paragraph (b) does not apply to the operator of a vehicle while on a route which requires the operator to make more than 10 stops per mile involving an exit from the vehicle in the scope of his or her employment. Paragraphs (c) and (d) do not apply to a passenger while on a route which requires the passenger to make more than 10 stops per mile involving an exit from the vehicle in the scope of his or her employment.
(e) The department shall, by rule, exempt from the requirements under pars. (b) to (d) persons who, because of a physical or medical condition, cannot be properly restrained in a safety belt.
(f)
1. This subsection does not apply if the motor vehicle is a taxicab or is not required to be equipped with safety belts under sub. (1) or 49 CFR 571.
2. This subsection does not apply to a privately owned motor vehicle while being operated by a rural letter carrier for the delivery of mail or while being operated by a delivery person for the delivery of newspapers or periodicals.
3. This subsection does not apply to a motor vehicle while being operated by a land surveying crew while conducting a land survey along or upon the highway.
7. This subsection does not apply to a farm truck or dual purpose farm truck while being used in conjunction with the planting or harvesting of crops and not being operated upon the highway.
(g) Evidence of compliance or failure to comply with par. (b), (c) or (d) is admissible in any civil action for personal injuries or property damage resulting from the use or operation of a motor vehicle. Notwithstanding s. 895.045, with respect to injuries or damages determined to have been caused by a failure to comply with par. (b), (c) or (d), such a failure shall not reduce the recovery for those injuries or damages by more than 15 percent. This paragraph does not affect the determination of causal negligence in the action.
(gm) A law enforcement officer may not take a person into physical custody solely for a violation of this subsection or sub. (1) or (2) or a local ordinance in conformity with this subsection, sub. (1) or (2) or rules of the department.
(3m) Safety belt information program. The department shall develop and administer a public information program to promote safety belt awareness and use.
(4) Child safety restraint systems required; standards; exemptions.
(ag) In this subsection:
1. “Child booster seat" means a child passenger restraint system that meets the applicable federal standards under 49 CFR 571.213 and is designed to elevate a child from a vehicle seat to allow the vehicle's safety belt to be properly positioned over the child's body.
2. “Designated seating position" has the meaning given in 49 CFR 571.3.
3. “Properly restrained" means any of the following:
a. With respect to par. (as) 1. and 2., fastened in a manner prescribed by the manufacturer of the child safety restraint system which permits the system to act as a body restraint but does not include a system in which the only body restraint is a safety belt of the type required under sub. (1).
b. With respect to par. (as) 3., wearing a safety belt consisting of a combination lap belt and shoulder harness approved by the department under sub. (2) and fastened in a manner prescribed by the manufacturer of the safety belt so that the safety belt properly fits across the child's lap and the center of the child's chest in a manner appropriate to the child's height, weight, and age that permits the safety belt to act as a body restraint.
c. With respect to par. (as) 4., fastened in a manner prescribed by the manufacturer of the system which permits the system to act as a body restraint.
(am) No person may transport a child under the age of 8 in a motor vehicle unless the child is restrained in compliance with par. (as) in a safety restraint system that is appropriate to the child's age and size and that meets the standards established by the department under this paragraph. The department shall, by rule, establish standards in compliance with applicable federal standards, including standards under 49 CFR 571.213, for child safety restraint systems.
(as) A child under the age of 8 years who is being transported in a motor vehicle shall be restrained as follows:
1. If the child is less than one year old or weighs less than 20 pounds, the child shall be properly restrained in a rear-facing child safety restraint system, positioned at a designated seating position in a back passenger seat of the vehicle if the vehicle is equipped with a back passenger seat.
2. Subject to subd. 1., if the child is at least one year old and weighs at least 20 pounds but is less than 4 years old or weighs less than 40 pounds, the child shall be properly restrained as provided in subd. 1. or properly restrained in a forward-facing child safety restraint system, positioned at a designated seating position in a back passenger seat of the vehicle if the vehicle is equipped with a back passenger seat.
3. Subject to subds. 1. and 2., if the child is at least 4 years old but less than 8 years old, weighs at least 40 pounds but not more than 80 pounds, and is not more than 57 inches in height, the child shall be properly restrained as provided in subd. 2. or properly restrained in a child booster seat.
4. Subject to subds. 1. to 3., if the child is less than 8 years old, the child shall be properly restrained as provided in subds. 1. to 3. or properly restrained in a safety belt approved by the department under sub. (2).
(b) The department may, by rule, exempt from the requirements under pars. (am) and (as) any child who because of a physical or medical condition or body size cannot be placed in a child safety restraint system, child booster seat, or safety belt.
(c) This subsection does not apply if the motor vehicle is a motor bus, school bus, taxicab, moped, motorcycle or is not required to be equipped with safety belts under sub. (1) or 49 CFR 571.
(d) Evidence of compliance or failure to comply with pars. (am) and (as) is admissible in any civil action for personal injuries or property damage resulting from the use or operation of a motor vehicle but failure to comply with pars. (am) and (as) does not by itself constitute negligence.
History: 1975 c. 337; 1977 c. 29 s. 1654 (7) (a); 1981 c. 327; 1983 a. 285; 1987 a. 132 ss. 3 to 6, 11; 1987 a. 399; 1989 a. 22; 1991 a. 26, 39, 198, 269; 1997 a. 190; 2005 a. 106; 2009 a. 28; 2011 a. 111.
“Seat belt negligence" and “passive negligence" are distinguished. Jury instructions regarding seat belts are recommended. A method for apportioning damages in seat belt negligence cases is adopted. Foley v. City of West Allis, 113 Wis. 2d 475, 335 N.W.2d 824 (1983).
A common law action for contribution may not be brought against a person who violates sub. (2m) (g). Gaertner v. Holcka, 219 Wis. 2d 436, 580 N.W.2d 271 (1998), 96-2726.
A statute requiring the wearing of seat belts in motor vehicles would be constitutional. 58 Atty. Gen. 241.
The seat belt defense — state of the law. Kircher, 53 MLR 172.
The seat belt defense — the trial lawyer's view. Bowman, 53 MLR 191.
Practical defense problems — the expert's view. Huelke, 53 MLR 203.
The seat belt as a cause of injury. Snyder, 53 MLR 211.

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