North Carolina · Handbook chapter 5 · 4 min read
Chapter 5: Driver safety and protecting passengers
Driver condition, drowsy and distracted driving, North Carolina's cell phone rules, seat belts, child seats and booster seats, air bags, helmets, children in pickup beds and the danger of hot cars.
Why this chapter matters
Many crashes start with the driver: tired, distracted or unbuckled. North Carolina's seat belt and child seat rules are strict and have exact ages and weights, so this chapter is a reliable source of knowledge test questions.
Your condition
- Even a cold, headache or flu can make you less alert and slower to respond.
- At 55 mph a vehicle covers the length of a football field in about 3.7 seconds, so even a short lapse is dangerous.
Drowsy driving
Warning signs: you cannot remember the last few miles, you drift from your lane or hit a rumble strip, you yawn repeatedly, or you struggle to keep your eyes open.
- Get a full night's sleep before a long drive.
- Stop at least every 2 hours to stretch and walk.
- Try to limit yourself to 300 to 400 miles a day.
- A short nap of 15 to 45 minutes and caffeine help only for a while. If you are tired, stop.
Distracted driving
Texting, phone calls, eating, grooming, reading maps, setting a navigation system, watching video and adjusting the radio all take your attention from the road. Distracted drivers react more slowly, miss hazards and often have a hand off the wheel.
Cell phone law
- No driver may text or use email on a cell phone while driving on a public street, highway or public vehicular area.
- Drivers under 18 may not use a cell phone at all while the vehicle is moving, except in an emergency.
- School bus drivers may not use a cell phone while driving the bus.
- Good habits: let calls go to voicemail, ask a passenger to make a call, and secure the phone so it cannot fly around in a crash.
Seat belts
- The driver and all passengers must wear a properly fastened seat belt whenever the vehicle is moving forward on a street or highway.
- You must wear your belt even if the car has air bags. If the car has an automatic shoulder belt, you must also fasten the lap belt.
- Wear the lap belt low across the hips and the shoulder belt over the collarbone and across the breastbone, away from the neck.
- Move the front seats as far back as is practical, especially for shorter people.
Children in vehicles
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Under 16 | Must be secured in a child restraint or seat belt |
| Under 8 and under 80 pounds | Must be in a weight-appropriate child restraint |
| Under 5 and under 40 pounds, car with active front passenger air bag and a rear seat | Must ride in the rear seat, unless the seat is designed for use with an air bag |
| Age 12 and under | Should ride buckled up in a rear seat |
| Rear-facing infant seat | Never in front of a passenger-side air bag |
- Booster seats are for children who have outgrown a child seat but are too small for the adult belt. The lap belt must sit on the hips, not the stomach, and the shoulder belt across the chest, not the face or neck.
- An air bag comes out at up to 200 mph, which is why small children belong in the back.
Pickup beds, helmets and hot cars
- Children under 16 may not ride in the open bed of a pickup truck, with limited exceptions such as an adult supervising in the bed, a parade, farm work or an emergency. The fine is $25.
- Every motorcycle and moped operator and passenger must wear a helmet meeting FMVSS 218.
- On a sunny day the inside of a parked car can get 40 to 50 degrees hotter than outside. Never leave a child or animal in the vehicle.
- In winter, snow blocking the exhaust pipe can send carbon monoxide, which has no color, smell or taste, into the car.
Frequently asked questions
Do back seat passengers have to wear seat belts in North Carolina?
Yes. The driver and all passengers must be belted whenever the vehicle is moving forward.
When does a child need a car seat or booster?
A child under 8 who weighs less than 80 pounds must be in a weight-appropriate child restraint.
Can a child sit in the front seat?
Children 12 and under should ride in the back. A child under 5 and under 40 pounds must ride in the rear seat when the car has an active passenger air bag and a rear seat.
How often should I stop on a long drive?
At least every two hours.
Can teenagers ride in the back of a pickup?
Not if they are under 16 and the bed is open, except in the situations the law allows, such as an adult supervising in the bed.
Based on the North Carolina Driver Handbook (NCDMV), Chapter 4 (Driver Safety; Protecting Yourself and Your Passengers).