Seat Belts, Child Seats and Littering

Key points

1. Driving or riding in the front seat without a safety belt is illegal.

   Source: Handbook p. 9

   “Arkansas law makes it illegal to drive or to be a front-seat passenger, without wearing a safety belt.”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 9

2. A seat belt violation carries a fine up to $25.00 plus court costs.

   Source: Handbook p. 9

   “Any person who violates this law shall be subject to a fine not to exceed twenty-five dollars ($25.00), and any court costs or fees.”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 9

3. A child under 6 who weighs under 60 pounds must be in a child safety seat.

   Source: Handbook p. 9

   “A child who is less than six (6) years of age and who weighs less than sixty (60) pounds shall be restrained in a child passenger safety seat”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 9

4. All children under 15 must wear proper restraints while the vehicle moves.

   Source: Handbook p. 9

   “All children under the age of fifteen (15) must wear appropriate safety restraints while the vehicle is in motion.”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 9

5. No smoking in a vehicle carrying a child under 14.

   Source: Handbook p. 9

   “A person shall not knowingly smoke tobacco in any motor vehicle in which a child who is less than fourteen (14) years of age is a passenger.”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 9

6. A first littering conviction can mean up to $1,000 and 8 hours of community service.

   Source: Handbook p. 10

   “Upon conviction, first offenders are subject to a fine of up to $1,000 and not more than eight hours of community service.”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 10

7. Never leave children or pets in a vehicle; on a 90 degree day the inside matches the outdoor heat within 5 minutes.

   Source: Handbook p. 10

   “Never leave children and pets unattended in a vehicle. Though we may think prior air-conditioning will help to keep the car cool after exiting, you should know that within five minutes on a 90-degree day, the temperature within a vehicle reaches that of the outdoors”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 10

8. Sit about 10 inches from the steering wheel air bag.

   Source: Handbook p. 82

   “placing yourself 10 inches from your driver airbag provides you with a clear margin of safety.”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 82

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Arkansas practice test

1. 1. What fine may Arkansas impose for violating the primary seat belt law?

   1. A mandatory $100 fine and license suspension
   2. A fine not exceeding $50, with no court costs
   3. A fine not exceeding $25, plus court costs or fees
   4. A warning only for a first violation
   Show answer

   A fine not exceeding $25, plus court costs or fees. The seat belt violation carries a fine not exceeding twenty-five dollars, and court costs or fees may also apply. The primary enforcement rule means an officer may make the traffic stop based on the seat belt violation itself, but it does not raise the listed fine to fifty or one hundred dollars. A warning-only response is not the statutory consequence described. Keep the amount and the added court costs together when recalling this penalty.

2. 2. What restraint is required for an Arkansas child younger than six who weighs less than 60 pounds?

   1. A properly secured child passenger safety seat
   2. A lap belt without any child seat
   3. An adult shoulder belt only
   4. No restraint when seated in the rear
   Show answer

   A properly secured child passenger safety seat. Arkansas requires this child to ride in a child passenger safety seat that is properly secured to the vehicle. A lap belt or adult shoulder belt alone does not satisfy the specified child-seat requirement, and rear-seat location does not remove the duty to restrain the passenger. The age and weight conditions work together: under six and under sixty pounds triggers this rule. Also remember that children under fifteen must use appropriate restraints while the vehicle is moving.

3. 3. In Arkansas, smoking tobacco in a vehicle is prohibited when it carries a passenger younger than what age?

   1. 12
   2. 14
   3. 16
   4. 18
   Show answer

   14. The secondhand-smoke rule prohibits knowingly smoking tobacco in a motor vehicle when a child passenger is less than fourteen years old. The trigger is the passenger's age, not whether the vehicle is moving, whether a window is open, or whether the child is related to the driver. Twelve is too low and sixteen or eighteen are too high. The recall cue is child under fourteen inside the vehicle, paired with knowingly smoking tobacco.

Source: the Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Chapter 1: Arkansas Law. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.