Your passenger is 14 years old and not wearing a seat belt. Under California law, who can be ticketed?
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A.
The driver can be ticketed because the passenger is under 16. Correct
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B.
Only the passenger, because the passenger chose not to buckle up.
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C.
Neither, because passenger belt use is voluntary.
The answer is "The driver can be ticketed because the passenger is under 16."
California lets law enforcement ticket the driver when a passenger under 16 is not wearing a seat belt. Drivers who carry over the adult-passenger rule (only the unbuckled person is cited) miss that the under-16 case attaches to the driver too.
The traps in the wrong answers
B. Only the passenger, because the passenger chose not to buckle up.
California attaches the ticket to the driver when the passenger is under 16, not only to the rider. Applies the adult-passenger rule (only the unbuckled person is cited) to a 14-year-old and misses the under-16 exception.
C. Neither, because passenger belt use is voluntary.
California requires passengers to wear seat belts, and the driver can be cited when a passenger under 16 is unbuckled. Confuses California's rule with jurisdictions that require belts only for the driver or only for front-seat passengers.
This question tests your knowledge of Safety Belts & Restraints in California. Source: California Driver Manual, "Seat Belts," p.65..
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