Bill toughens state seat belt law

Tallahassee, Florida-- Buckle up, or you could soon be pulled over.

State lawmakers passed legislation that allows law enforcement to cite drivers for not wearing their seat belts. Currently, they can pull you over for another violation but not wearing a seatbelt is a secondary violation.

Additionally, anyone under the age of 18 has to wear a seatbelt, no matter where they are sitting in the car and pickup truck drivers can only have as many passengers as they have seat belts.

The bill is named after Plant City teen, Katie Marchetti who died after being ejected from a vehicle in 2006. She was the passenger in a car and didn't have her seat belt on.

"There you go, two people in the car, one wearing a seatbelt, one not and the outcome for my daughter...she would be a sophomore in college today if she were still alive," said Laura Marchetti, Katie's Mom.

Adults who are seated in the back seat do not have to wear seatbelts but are still encouraged to.

The Governor still needs to sign it before it can become law.