Since being children, we've been told that when we ride in a car, we're supposed to buckle our seatbelts. We've all heard the phrase, "Click it or ticket," right?

On the other hand, as a kid piling onto a school bus with a bunch of other kids on the way to school, home from school, on a field trip, etc., we never wore seatbelts. In fact, we were seldom even given the option to buckle up on most buses.

So, what about old vans? Some older vans have bench seats in the back that, similar to a school bus, don't even give us the option of buckling our seat belts. If you've ever wondered how legal it is to pile into an old van without a seatbelt, read on for what the Colorado law says about this scenario.

Is it Legal to Ride in the Back of a Van without a Seatbelt in Colorado?

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Every state has pretty specific laws when it comes to seatbelts, and Colorado is no different. The 'click it or ticket' phrase we've all come to know is specific in itself and would seem to require an asterisk.

Colorado law states that "the driver and every front seat passenger of a motor vehicle and every passenger in an autocycle to wear a seat belt whenever the vehicle is operated on a street or highway." However, the law also states that all children under the age of 15, regardless of where they're sitting in the vehicle, be properly secured.

So, what about vehicles that don't come with seatbelts in the back? The law states that if federal law "does not mandate the vehicle be equipped with seatbelts," it doesn't apply.

So, essentially, if a vehicle isn't required to have seatbelts in certain parts, such as the backseat of an old van or a school bus, you are not required to be restrained, especially if you're over the age of 15.

However, even if it's not technically required by law, it is of course recommended that all occupants of the vehicle wear their seatbelts when able to.

Take a look at exactly what the Colorado seat belt laws say here.

[Drive Safe Online, Colorado.gov]

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