§ 15-6. Seat belts and child restraint devices.

(a)

Except as otherwise provided in this section, each driver and front seat passenger of a passenger car manufactured after January 1, 1968, operated on a street or highway in this city shall wear a properly adjusted and fastened safety belt that meets federal national highway, transportation act requirements, except that a child less than four years of age shall be protected as required in subsection (e).

(b)

Each driver of a motor vehicle transporting a child four years of age or more, but less than sixteen (16) years of age in a motor vehicle shall secure the child in a properly adjusted and fastened safety belt.

(c)

With respect to subsections (a) and (b) of this section:

(1)

No person shall be stopped, inspected or detained solely to determine compliance with subsection (a) of this section.

(2)

The provisions of subsection (a) and (b) of this section shall not be applicable to persons who have a medical reason for failing to have a seat belt fastened about his or her body or to any person employed by the United States Postal Service while performing duties for that federal agency which requires the operator to service postal boxes from their vehicles, or which require frequent entry into and exit from their vehicles.

(3)

As used in subsections (a) and (b) of this section, the term "passenger car" means every motor vehicle designed for carrying ten persons or less and used for the transportation of persons; except that, the term "passenger car" shall not include motorcycles, motorized bicycles, motor tricycles and trucks with a gross weight of 12,000 pounds or more.

(d)

Each driver who violates the provisions of subsection (a) or (b) of this section shall upon conviction, be subject to a fine not to exceed ten dollars ($10.00) in amount. All other provisions of law and court rules to the contrary notwithstanding, no court costs may be imposed if court costs have been assessed on any other charge arising out of the same occurrence.

(e)

Every person transporting a child under the age of four (4) years on the streets or highways of this city shall be responsible for transporting such child in a child passenger restraint system approved by the Missouri Department of Public Safety. Any person who violates this subsection shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) and court costs.

(Ord. No. 1270, § 1, 9-22-97)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 1270, §§ 1 and 2, adopted September 22, 1997, has been treated by the editor as superseding the provisions of former §§ 15-6 and 15-7. Former §§ 15-6 and 15-7 pertained to seat belt usage and child restraints, respectively, and derived from Ord. No. 1105, adopted September 14, 1987; and Ord. No. 1226, adopted September 26, 1994.