From: DDoyle9570@aol.com
Date: Sat Jan 01 2005 - 16:40:16 PST
"Tennessee says that ALL people in vehicle will wear seat belts."
The above is an urban myth or falsehood perpetuated by people trying to do good.
Below, direct from the Tennessee Code Annotated and Rules and Regulations of the State of Tennessee are applicable portions fo the law. Three sections of the code are applicable, and this is what they say:
Exemptions. I. The requirement to use a child passenger restraint system does not apply if the mother either (1) is nursing the child or (2) is attending to its other physiological needs. '55-9-602(b) In addition, the requirement to use either a child passenger restraint system or safety belt for children ≥4 through 15 years old does not apply in the bact seat if all seat belts or other passenger restraints are already occupied. '55-9-602(g)(5) II. Comment: Tennessee law provides, that before a motor vehicle can be sold in the State, it must be equipped with a safety belt. However, motor vehicles manufactured prior to the 1964 model year, public or livery conveyance passenger motor vehicles weighing ≤8,500 lbs. and any motor vehicle that is not required by Federal law to be equipped with safety belts are exempt from this requirement. '55-9-601 The law does not require that motor vehicles be retrofitted with safety belts.
Page 5
TENNESSEEPortion of Vehicle8: Requirements: I. (A)on the streets of any municipality, roads of any county, or the highways of this state, a person shall not transport a child <6 years old in the bed of a truck with a manufacturer's ton rating not exceeding three-quarter (3/4) ton and having a pickup body style. '55-8-189(a) II. On any interstate defense highway or state highway, a person shall not transport a child ≥6 but <12 years old in the bed of a truck with a manufacturer's ton rating not exceeding three-quarter (3/4) ton and having a pickup body style. '55-8-189(b)(1)
Thus, here we are. In Tennessee, you cannot transport people in the back of a M36, except under rare circumstances, as by design, M36 vehicles are not equipped with seats in the bed. However, a M35, M35A2, M37 etc, are designed with troop seats, therefor would be permitted. Further, they were NOT built with seat belts in the rear, so they would not be required to be added. Further, in the case of the M35 series, they exceed 8500 lbs and are thus exempt under that section as well.
Regards,
David Doyle
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