Seat belts, child restraints and parking

Key points

1. Indiana law requires the driver and all passengers to use seat belts at all times.

   Source: Handbook p. 55

   “Indiana law requires a driver and all passengers to use seat belts at all times when a vehicle is in operation.”
   Indiana Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 55

2. Seat belts raise front seat survival chances by 45 percent and cut serious injury risk by 50 percent.

   Source: Handbook p. 55

   “When worn, seat belts for drivers and front-seat passengers increase the chance of survival by 45 percent and cut the risk of serious injury by 50 percent.”
   Indiana Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 55

3. Sit at least 12 inches from the steering wheel.

   Source: Handbook p. 55

   “Driver should sit at least 12 inches away from the steering wheel.”
   Indiana Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 55

4. Passengers younger than 8 must be secured in a child restraint such as a car seat or booster seat.

   Source: Handbook p. 56

   “Passengers younger than eight years of age are required by law to be properly secured in a child restraint system such as a child car seat or booster seat.”
   Indiana Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 56

5. Children younger than 12 should ride in the back seat if the car has a passenger air bag.

   Source: Handbook p. 56

   “the National Safety Council recommends putting children younger than 12 years of age in the back seat.”
   Indiana Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 56

6. Do not park within 15 feet of a fire hydrant or in a fire lane.

   Source: Handbook p. 54

   “Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant or in fire lanes”
   Indiana Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 54

7. Parking in the striped area next to an accessible space is prohibited even with a placard.

   Source: Handbook p. 55

   “Parking in this striped area is prohibited even if you are in possession of a valid parking placard.”
   Indiana Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 55

8. Facing downhill, turn your wheels toward the curb; facing uphill, away from the curb.

   Source: Handbook p. 54

   “When you park facing downhill, turn your vehicle’s wheels toward the curb. When you park facing uphill, turn your vehicle’s wheels away from the curb.”
   Indiana Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 54

9. When reversing, turn your body to look through the back window; never use only the mirror.

   Source: Handbook p. 54

   “To reverse, turn your body to the right to look through the back window. Never use only the rearview mirror for reversing.”
   Indiana Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 54

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Indiana practice test

1. 1. Under Indiana law, who must use seat belts while a vehicle is in operation?

   1. Only occupants under 18
   2. Only the driver
   3. Only front seat passengers
   4. The driver and all passengers
   Show answer

   The driver and all passengers. Indiana requires the driver and all passengers to use seat belts at all times when the vehicle is in operation. The rule is not limited to the driver, the front row, or minors. Air bags do not remove the belt requirement because the manual explains that the two safety systems work together during a collision. The cue is the vehicle's operation, so buckle every occupant before moving, even on a short trip or in a vehicle equipped with multiple air bags.

2. 2. What restraint does Indiana law require for passengers younger than eight years of age?

   1. A lap belt only
   2. An adult passenger's arms
   3. A child restraint system such as a car seat or booster seat
   4. No restraint in the back seat
   Show answer

   A child restraint system such as a car seat or booster seat. Passengers younger than eight must be properly secured in a child restraint system, such as a child car seat or booster seat. A lap belt alone is not the manual's stated child restraint requirement, and holding a child in an adult's arms is not a substitute for a secured system. Seating position does not erase the rule. The age cue is under eight, and the equipment cue is an approved child restraint rather than an improvised arrangement inside the vehicle.

3. 3. How close may an Indiana driver park to a fire hydrant?

   1. Within 5 feet
   2. Within 10 feet
   3. No closer than 15 feet
   4. Only beyond 25 feet
   Show answer

   No closer than 15 feet. Indiana lists parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant as prohibited, so a vehicle must be beyond that boundary rather than within it. The five, ten, and fifteen foot choices describe distances that still enter the prohibited area. The wording is important: the manual identifies the nearest fifteen feet as illegal, while it does not require a blanket 25 foot gap. A useful curbside cue is to look for the hydrant before leaving the vehicle and preserve more than fifteen feet of clearance.

Source: the Indiana Driver's Manual, Chapter 7: Safe Vehicle Operation. 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.