Seat Belts and Car Seats
29-A M.R.S. § 2081 — everyone buckled, children in the seat their age and size call for
| Child | What the driver makes sure of |
|---|---|
| ChildUnder 2 years of age | What the driver makes sure ofA rear facing seat, or a convertible seat facing the rear until the child outgrows that position |
| Child2 years of age or older and under 55 pounds | What the driver makes sure ofA child seat with an internal harness |
| ChildUnder 80 pounds, under 57 inches and under 8 years of age | What the driver makes sure ofA belt positioning seat or other child seat |
| ChildUnder 18 years of age otherwise | What the driver makes sure ofA seat belt |
| ChildUnder 12 years of age | What the driver makes sure ofThe rear seat, if possible |
Who handles this in Maine: legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Maine directory.
The driver and every passenger 18 or older wears a seat belt, and each adult passenger answers for their own belt.
Each rule is a traffic infraction with a fine of $50 for a first offense, $125 for a second and $250 after that, and the court cannot suspend the fine.
No search over a seat belt. A vehicle, what is in it, the driver and the passengers may not be inspected or searched solely because of an adult seat belt violation. And in a crash, not wearing a belt is not evidence in a civil or criminal trial, except a trial for the seat belt violation itself.
Sources for this section (1)
- 29-A M.R.S. § 2081 — Use of safety seat belts and child restraint systems
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Maine attorney.