Except for New Hampshire, all states and the District of Columbia require adult front-seat occupants of motor vehicles to use seat belts. Adult rear-seat passengers are also covered by the laws in 31 states and the District of Columbia. Children are covered by separate laws.

State seat belt laws are divided into two categories: primary and secondary. Primary seat belt laws allow law enforcement officers to stop a motor vehicle and to issue a ticket or citation to a driver or passenger for not wearing a seat belt without any other traffic offense having occurred. Secondary seat belt laws only allow law enforcement officers to issue a ticket or citation for not wearing a seat belt when there has been another traffic offense by an occupant of the vehicle for which the occupant may be issued a ticket or citation.

In Maryland, seat belt use is mandatory for all drivers and front-seat passengers under a primary enforcement law, which means that law enforcement officers can stop a vehicle and issue a citation solely for a seat belt violation without the need for any other traffic offense. This law also extends to rear-seat passengers, who are required to wear seat belts; however, the enforcement for rear-seat passengers is secondary, meaning a citation for not wearing a seat belt can only be issued if the vehicle is stopped for another reason. Maryland also has specific child restraint laws that require appropriate safety seats for children based on their age, weight, and height. These laws are designed to ensure the safety of all vehicle occupants and reduce the risk of injury or death in the event of an accident.