Connecticut Auto Driving Laws

Keeping Your Driver's License

In order to keep your driver's license, you must drive safely at all times. Under Connecticut driving law, you can lose your license for:

1. Leaving the scene of an accident in which you are involved, without identifying yourself.

2. Giving false information when you apply for a driver's license.

3. Attempting to change the information on your license or using someone else's license when attempting to purchase an alcoholic beverage.

4. Failing to appear for a re-examination.

5. Failure to comply with DMV requests.

8. Using a motor vehicle to commit a felony or taking the life of someone in a motor vehicle accident.

9. Letting someone else use your driver's license or identity documents to obtain a license or ID card.

10. Failing to appear in court when summoned for a motor vehicle violation, or being convicted in court of a serious violation of Connecticut traffic laws.

11. Other reasons as the DMV may deem necessary under Connecticut driving law.

Safety Belts and Child Restraints

Before you drive away, always fasten your safety belts and make sure all your passengers are using safety belts or child restraints.

Connecticut has a mandatory seat-belt law. Also remember to lock the vehicle's doors.

It is important that you and your passengers use safety belts. Studies have shown that if you are in an accident while using safety belts, your chances of being injured are greatly reduced. Under Connecticut driving law, it is illegal to drive or to be a front-seat passenger, without wearing safety belts.

If your vehicle has a two-part safety belt system, be sure to wear both the lap-belt and the shoulder-belt. Wearing either part alone greatly reduces your protection.

If you have an automatic shoulder belt, be sure to buckle your lap belt as well. Otherwise, in a collision you could slide out of the belt and be injured.

In addition to protecting you from injury as a driver, safety belts help you keep control of the vehicle. If you are struck from the side or make a quick turn, the force could push you sideways. You cannot steer the vehicle if you are not behind the wheel.

Connecticut driving law requires that safety belts must be worn even if the vehicle is equipped with air bags. While air bags are good protection against hitting the steering wheel, dashboard or windshield, they do not protect you if you are hit from the side or rear or if the vehicle rolls over. And, an air bag will not keep you behind the wheel in these situations.

Connecticut driving law requires children to wear proper child restraint and safety systems while riding in a vehicle. Any child under age 4 and weighing less than 40 pounds must be in a child restraint system that conforms to all applicable federal motor vehicle standards.

Children under 4 years old and weighing more than 40 pounds must use an approved child restraint system or a seat safety belt. All children must ride securely buckled in the back seat of vehicles equipped with passenger-side airbags.

Under Connecticut driving law, drivers found violating these laws face penalties, including fines and license suspension.

Connecticut driving law also requires that the operator as well as any front seat passenger shall wear seat belts. In addition to complying with Connecticut traffic laws requiring child restraint systems in vehicles, drivers must ensure that any passenger between 4 and 16 years old is wearing a seat belt.

For More Information