Violating the state’s new seat belt laws is significantly more expensive in Iola than it is for other places in the state.
With a new court fine schedule approved Tuesday by Iola city commissioners, a motorist pulled over for not wearing a seat belt can expect to pay $90 — $30 for the offense, plus another $60 for court costs.
It has been illegal to ride in a vehicle without a seat belt for years, City Attorney Chuck Apt noted, although a new state law that went into effect in July made it a primary offense for adult motorists. That means police officers can initiate a traffic stop if they see a motorist not wearing a seat belt. Prior to July, the seat belt rules were considered secondary offenses, meaning officers needed to spot another violation in order to initiate a traffic stop.
The state primary seat belt law included a $5 fine, not nearly enough to pay for the cost of processing the ticket, Apt said.
So Iola, like many other communities in the state, is keeping primary seat belt violation fines aligned with other offenses.
Iola’s old seat belt fine was $27.50, plus $50.50 in court costs, a combined $78.
The goal all along, commissioners noted, is to encourage motorists to use their seat belts at all times.