Indiana Injury Blog

In Owen v. State, 796 N.E.2d 775 (Ind. Ct. App. 2003), the owner of Chervrolet Blazer was stopped by a police officer at a seatbelt checkpoint when the officer noticed the owner was not wearing his seatbelt. While the officer was in the process of issuing the owner a seatbelt ticket, the owner argued that his Blazer was registered as a truck and exempt from the seatbelt requirement pursuant to Indiana statute. Despite the owner's Blazer being registered as a truck, the trial court found it not to be a truck and affirmed the issuance of the ticket.

On appeal, the Indiana Court of Appeals noted that IC 9-19-10-2 states that drivers and front-seat passengers in "passenger motor vehicles" are required to keep their seatbelts fastened, and that IC 9-13-2-123 defines a "passenger motor vehicle" as "a motor vehicle designed for carrying passengers." The Indiana Court of Appeals noted, however, that Indiana statute excludes "truck, tractors, and recreational vehicles" as "passenger motor vehicles." Furthermore, the Indiana Court of Appeals stated a truck is defined as "a motor vehicle designed, used, or maintained primarily for the transportation of property" under IC 9-13-2-188.

In giving the applicable statutes their plain and ordinary meaning, the Indiana Court of Appeals held "the definition of 'truck' does not necessarily exclude SUVs, and if an SUV owner has paid the fee for a truck plate, then by law he drives a truck that is specifically excluded from the seatbelt law." Additionally, the Indiana Court of Appeals stated "[i]f an SUV owner does not have a truck plate, then by law he does not drive a truck but instead drives a passenger vehicle that is subject to the seatbelt law."

Applying its holding to the case at hand, the Indiana Court of Appeals reversed the trial court, stating the owner's Blazer was licensed as a truck. Therefore, Indiana's seatbelt statute did not apply.