Montana has secondary law enforcement for safety belt use,
meaning that there must be another reason for stopping a vehicle
other than noncompliance with safety belt laws before a
violation can be charged. Although Montana ranks relatively high
for overall seat belt usage among states with secondary law
enforcement (76.9 percent in 2011 for all roads), NHTSA
documentation shows that most states with a primary enforcement
law have higher compliance rates. Comprehensive Highway Safety
Plan Montana has established a variety of programs to encourage
safety belt use and proper utilization of child safety
restraints. New strategies focus on the establishment of a
primary safety belt law and targeted enforcement and education
for low belt use populations. Department of Public Health &
Human Services