SS/SCS/SB 30 - Under current law in any civil action to recover damages, failure to wear a safety belt is not allowed as evidence of comparative negligence, but may be introduced to mitigate damages. This act provides that in actions arising out the design, construction, manufacture, distribution, or sale of a motor vehicle factory equipped with a safety belt, failure to wear a safety belt by the plaintiff shall be admissible as evidence of comparative negligence or fault, causation, absence of a defect or hazard, and failure to mitigate damages. This act has an effective date of January 1, 2020.
This act is similar to HB 289 (2019), SS/SCS/SB 822 (2018), and SB 321 (2017).
KATIE O'BRIEN