Seat Belts, Child Seats and Distractions

Key points

1. Drivers and all passengers must wear a fastened seat belt, front seat or back.

   Source: Handbook p. 52

   “Drivers and all passengers of motor vehicles shall wear a properly fastened safety seat belt, regardless of whether the passenger is in the front seat or back seat of the vehicle.”
   Mississippi Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 52

2. Children under 4 must ride in an approved car seat.

   Source: Handbook p. 52

   “Children under the age of four (4) years old must be properly secured in a child passenger restraint device (car seat)”
   Mississippi Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 52

3. Children 4 to under 7 who are under 4 feet 9 inches or 65 pounds need a booster seat.

   Source: Handbook p. 52

   “Children at least four (4) years old but under seven (7) years old who are less than 4 feet 9 inches in height or who weigh less than sixty-five (65) pounds”
   Mississippi Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 52

4. Children should always ride in the back seat.

   Source: Handbook p. 52

   “Children should always ride in the backseat.”
   Mississippi Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 52

5. Drivers cause 85% of all accidents.

   Source: Handbook p. 53

   “Drivers cause 85% of all accidents.”
   Mississippi Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 53

6. Keep your left hand at 9:00 and your right hand at 3:00 on the wheel.

   Source: Handbook p. 53

   “The left hand should be on the wheel at 9:00, as on the face of the clock, and the right hand at 3:00.”
   Mississippi Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 53

7. On long trips, take a break every 100 miles.

   Source: Handbook p. 53

   “Take a break every one hundred (100) miles.”
   Mississippi Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 53

8. Texting on your cellphone while you drive is not allowed.

   Source: Handbook p. 54

   “Texting on your cellphone while you drive is not allowed.”
   Mississippi Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 54

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Mississippi practice test

1. 1. Which occupants must wear a properly fastened safety seat belt under Mississippi law?

   1. Only the driver and front passenger
   2. Drivers and all passengers, whether seated in front or back
   3. Only passengers under age 18
   4. Only occupants traveling on an interstate
   Show answer

   Drivers and all passengers, whether seated in front or back. The state rule covers the driver and every passenger in a motor vehicle, and it applies in both seating rows. The front-seat-only option omits rear occupants, while an age-based requirement invents a limitation that the manual does not give. The interstate choice also narrows a rule that applies wherever the vehicle is being operated. Before moving, make a quick cabin check: driver, front passenger, and back-seat riders should all be buckled. The requirement is about proper fastening, not merely having a belt available beside the seat.

2. 2. A child is three years old. What restraint does Mississippi law require?

   1. An adult lap belt without any child restraint
   2. A belt-positioning booster seat only if the child weighs 65 pounds
   3. A properly secured child passenger restraint device meeting safety standards
   4. No restraint when the child rides in the rear seat
   Show answer

   A properly secured child passenger restraint device meeting safety standards. Children under four years old must be secured in a child passenger restraint device, commonly called a car seat, that meets applicable safety standards. A booster seat is addressed for an older age group with height or weight conditions, so that option does not describe a three-year-old's baseline requirement. Rear-seat placement does not remove the restraint duty. Choose a correctly installed device appropriate for the child's size and follow its instructions.

3. 3. What share of accidents do drivers cause, according to the Mississippi manual?

   1. 85 percent
   2. 50 percent
   3. 10 percent
   4. Nearly 100 percent, with none from equipment or weather
   Show answer

   85 percent. Drivers cause 85 percent of all accidents, which is why the safe driving basics focus on attitude, attention and habits rather than the vehicle. Keep the left hand at 9 o'clock and the right hand at 3 o'clock on the wheel, avoid distractions such as cellphone use, and stay alert to the road ahead. Equipment and weather account for the small remainder of crashes.

Source: the Mississippi Driver's Manual, Seat Belts, Child Restraints and Safe Driving Basics. 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.