We are not familiar with a seat belt law for back seat passengers if they are over the age of 16 for New York. The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles states that NYS law requires all front seat passengers to wear seat belts. Children under the age of 16 must wear seat belts when they are in the front seat or the back seat. Children under the age of four must ride in safety seats. Children age four, five or six must ride in child restraint systems.

The NYS DMV goes on to say that the penalty for a seat belt or car seat violation is a fine of up $50. If a conviction includes a person under the age of 16, the driver receives a maximum fine of $100 and 3 points on the driver license record.

Again from the research we found in NYS that front seat passengers sixteen and older can be fined up to $50 [Section 1229-c(5), NYS Vehicle & Traffic Law].

Drivers can be fined up to $100 for each passenger under the age of sixteen who is not properly restrained in their vehicles [Section 1229-c(5), NYS Vehicle & Traffic Law]. The driver will also receive three violation points on his or her driver record.

You may want to read through the NYS Vehicle and Traffic Laws seat belt law section to see if you can find anything regarding the type of ticket you received. You also can contact the court listed on the citation to find out more about it and the penalties you are facing.