Seat belts, child seats and phone laws in Arkansas

By the end of this topic you can

• You can explain who must wear a seat belt under Arkansas law.
• You can state the child seat and child restraint rules.
• You can describe the phone rules for drivers under 18, 18 to 20, and 21 and older.
• You can explain the three types of distraction.
• You can wear a seat belt correctly.

What you need to know and understand

• The driver and front-seat passenger must wear seat belts, and officers can stop you for this alone.
• The seat belt fine can be up to $25 plus court costs.
• When a permit, learner's or intermediate driver is driving, every passenger must be belted.
• A child under 6 who weighs less than 60 pounds must ride in a child passenger safety seat.
• All children under 15 must be properly restrained while the vehicle is moving.
• It is illegal to smoke tobacco in a vehicle carrying a child under 14.
• Texting and using social media while driving are illegal for every driver.
• Drivers under 18 may not use a phone at all, except in an emergency. Drivers aged 18 to 20 may use hands-free only.

Wearing your belt properly

1. Buckle up before you start the engine.
2. Sit up straight and all the way back so the belt rests on the right parts of your body.
3. Put the shoulder strap across your chest, never behind your back.
4. Rest the lap strap low across your upper thighs, not your stomach.
5. Make sure the belt is flat, not twisted, then tug it to check the latch.
6. Sit at least 10 inches from the steering wheel airbag, measured from the center of the wheel to your breastbone.

Phone rules by age

Using a phone illegally during the Arkansas State Police road test is an automatic fail with a 30-day wait. Our deeper guide on the Arkansas teen phone law explains these age bands in more detail.

• Under 18 (permit, learner's and intermediate): no phone use of any kind, including hands-free, except in an emergency.
• 18 to 20: hands-free calls only; a hand-held phone only in an emergency.
• 21 and older: calls are not banned, but the study guide stresses it is never safe to talk and drive.
• Everyone: no texting and no reading or posting to social media while driving.
• Everyone: no hand-held phone use when passing a school zone during school hours with children outside, or in a highway work zone when workers are present. In a work zone with workers present it counts as a moving violation and fines double.

Why distraction is so dangerous

Texting combines all three kinds of distraction: visual (eyes off the road), manual (hands off the wheel) and cognitive (mind off driving). Reading or sending a text takes your eyes away for about 4.6 seconds. At 55 mph that is like crossing a football field blind. Eating, adjusting the radio or navigation, and lively passengers distract you too. Set your music and route before you move, and pull over safely if something needs your attention.

Common mistakes

• Tucking the shoulder belt behind your back because it rubs. Use a padded cover instead.
• Thinking back-seat passengers can skip belts when a teen is driving. With a GDL driver, every passenger must buckle up.
• Answering a hands-free call at 17. Under 18, even hands-free is banned.
• Holding the phone to check maps in a work zone. That counts as a moving violation.

Test yourself: Seat belts, child seats and phone laws in Arkansas

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Arkansas Teen Phone Law
• Arkansas Permit Practice Test
• Arkansas Driver’s License Age Waiver Explained