Seat belts, child seats and phone laws in Indiana

By the end of this topic you can

• You can explain who must wear a seat belt in Indiana.
• You can state the age at which children must be in a child restraint.
• You can describe what the hands-free law allows and forbids.
• You can explain the stricter phone rule for drivers under 21.
• You can set up your seat, belt and phone before you move off.

What you need to know and understand

• Every occupant must wear a seat belt whenever the vehicle is moving, in the front and the back.
• Children under 8 must ride in a properly fitted child restraint, such as a car seat or booster seat.
• Since July 1, 2020, Indiana drivers may not hold or use a phone or other mobile device while the vehicle is moving, except hands-free.
• Hands-free use, such as Bluetooth, a headset or voice control, is allowed for drivers 21 and older. Calling 911 in an emergency is always allowed.
• Probationary drivers (under 21) may not use any telecommunications device while driving, even hands-free, except to call 911.
• A hand-held violation is a Class C infraction with fines of up to $500, and the BMV assigns 4 points.

Belts, booster seats and air bags

Indiana law requires the driver and all passengers to be belted at all times while the vehicle is in operation. A small number of exemptions exist, for example a documented medical reason or certain delivery and farm work, but they will not apply to most learners.

Air bags are designed to work with seat belts, not replace them. Without a belt, an air bag can injure you. The manual advises sitting at least 12 inches from the steering wheel, wearing the lap belt low on the hips and the shoulder belt across the collarbone, and setting head restraints level with the top of your head. It also suggests children under 12 ride in the back seat where there is a passenger air bag, and Indiana's traffic safety office recommends the back seat for all children under 13.

What the hands-free law means in practice

Points are added for hand-held violations committed on or after July 1, 2021. Our separate guide to Indiana phone laws for new drivers covers the under-21 rule in more detail.

• Allowed for drivers 21 and older: calls through Bluetooth or a headset, and navigation apps used hands-free.
• Not allowed: holding the phone to talk, text, scroll, or type while the car is moving.
• Always allowed: calling 911 in a genuine emergency.
• For drivers under 21: no phone use at all while driving, apart from 911. Set your navigation before you move off and let calls go to voicemail.

Other distractions

Distraction is anything that takes your eyes off the road, your hands off the wheel or your mind off driving. Eating, adjusting the radio, grooming and lively conversations all count. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for about five seconds, which at 55 mph covers the length of a football field.

Loud music can stop you from hearing a siren or horn. The Driver's Manual also warns that the chance of a crash rises with every teen passenger in the car.

A pre-drive routine

1. Adjust your seat, mirrors and head restraint.
2. Check that every passenger is belted and that young children are in the right seat.
3. Set your music and navigation.
4. Put your phone on silent or do-not-disturb and out of reach.
5. Fasten your own belt, then start the engine.

Common mistakes

• Grabbing the phone for a quick look at a map while rolling along in slow traffic. If you need to handle the phone, park somewhere safe first.
• Assuming hands-free is fine for an under-21 driver. Probationary drivers may not use a device at all.
• Letting back-seat passengers skip belts on short trips.
• Moving a child out of a booster seat before age 8 because they asked to.

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

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

Go deeper

• Indiana Hands-Free Law and the Under-21 Phone Ban
• Indiana Permit Practice Test
• Indiana Bioptic Driver Program