Illinois: Seat belts & child safety Practice Test
Illinois seat belt, child safety seat and air bag rules.
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Questions are original and based on the official manual "Illinois Rules of the Road" (2026), Illinois Secretary of State.
All 22 questions in this practice test
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During the driving exam, who must wear a safety belt?
- Only you, the driver
- Only the examiner
- You and the examiner
- Neither, under 25 mph
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Correct answer: You and the examiner
During the driving exam, you and the examiner must wear safety belts, as required by law.
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road (2026), page 14
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Under Illinois law, who must wear safety belts?
- Only the driver and the front seat passenger in the vehicle
- Only passengers under age 16, whether in front or in back
- All drivers and front and back seat passengers age 8 and older
- Only people riding in vehicles that do not have air bags
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Correct answer: All drivers and front and back seat passengers age 8 and older
Illinois law requires all drivers and passengers (front and back seats) age 8 and older to wear safety belts, even if the vehicle has air bags.
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road (2026), page 23
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A passenger's disability keeps them from securing their own safety belt. Who is responsible for securing and adjusting it?
- The passenger
- The vehicle owner
- The driver
- No one; they are exempt
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Correct answer: The driver
If a passenger's disability or medical condition makes them unable to secure their own belt, the driver is responsible for securing and adjusting it.
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road (2026), page 23
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Who is responsible for making sure ALL passengers obey the safety belt law and the Child Passenger Protection Act?
- Each passenger
- The driver
- The parents only
- The vehicle owner
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Correct answer: The driver
It is the responsibility of the driver to ensure all passengers obey the safety belt law and the Child Passenger Protection Act.
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road (2026), page 23
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Where should the lap belt be worn?
- Across the stomach
- Across the lower ribs
- Loosely above the waist
- Across the hip bones
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Correct answer: Across the hip bones
The lap belt should be worn across the hip bones and never across the stomach or soft part of the abdomen.
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road (2026), page 23
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How snug should the shoulder strap of a safety belt be?
- Loose enough to fit a fist between the strap and your chest at all times
- As snug as possible while still letting the driver reach the controls
- Tight enough that you cannot lean forward to reach any controls at all
- It does not matter, as long as the lap belt portion is fastened snugly
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Correct answer: As snug as possible while still letting the driver reach the controls
The shoulder strap should be as snug as possible but still allow the driver to reach important controls.
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road (2026), page 23
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Where should the shoulder strap of a seat belt never be placed?
- Across the chest and shoulder
- Over the middle of the shoulder
- Across the chest near the neck
- Behind the back or under the arm
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Correct answer: Behind the back or under the arm
The shoulder strap of the seat belt should never be placed behind the back or under the arm.
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road (2026), page 23
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How are air bags designed to protect vehicle occupants?
- As supplemental protection in combination with safety belts
- As a full replacement for safety belts in a crash
- As protection only for children in the back seat
- As protection only in rear-end crashes at low speed
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Correct answer: As supplemental protection in combination with safety belts
Air bags are designed to provide supplemental protection in combination with safety belts.
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road (2026), page 23
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What distance between the driver and the air bag is desirable?
- 2-4 inches
- 5-6 inches
- 10-12 inches
- 24-30 inches
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Correct answer: 10-12 inches
A distance of 10-12 inches between the driver and the air bag is desirable, especially for short, elderly, or pregnant drivers.
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road (2026), page 23
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In a vehicle with air bags, how should passengers position their seats?
- As far back as possible, tilting the seat back slightly if needed
- As far forward as possible, so the air bag opens more gently
- Upright and close to the dashboard with the belt left loose
- Fully reclined, lying flat so the belt does not touch them
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Correct answer: As far back as possible, tilting the seat back slightly if needed
Passengers should position their seats as far back as possible, tilting the seat back slightly if necessary.
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road (2026), page 23
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Children of what ages are recommended to be properly secured in the back seat?
- 5 and younger
- 2 and younger
- 12 and younger
- 16 and younger
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Correct answer: 12 and younger
Because an air bag can seriously injure or kill a child in the front seat, it is recommended that children ages 12 and younger be secured in the back seat.
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road (2026), page 23
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A child under age 8 must ride in the front passenger seat with an active air bag. What does the manual say?
- Use only a lap belt and move the seat as far forward as it can go
- Use a properly installed child safety seat, with the seat as far back as possible
- The child may ride on an adult's lap, with the belt around both of them
- Use a rear-facing child safety seat directly in front of the air bag
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Correct answer: Use a properly installed child safety seat, with the seat as far back as possible
If children under age 8 must ride in front with an active air bag, they should be in a properly installed, appropriate child safety seat with the seat as far back as possible.
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road (2026), page 23
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Where should a rear-facing child safety seat never be installed?
- In the middle of the back seat
- Behind the driver's seat
- Behind the front passenger seat
- In front of an active air bag
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Correct answer: In front of an active air bag
Rear-facing child safety seats should never be installed in front of an active air bag.
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road (2026), page 23
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Which vehicles does the manual say may have the option to turn off the passenger side front air bag?
- Every passenger vehicle sold in Illinois
- Some vehicles, such as pick-up trucks
- Only motorcycles and mopeds
- Only school buses
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Correct answer: Some vehicles, such as pick-up trucks
Some vehicles, such as pick-up trucks, have the option to turn off the passenger side front air bag.
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road (2026), page 23
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Under the Child Passenger Protection Act, which children must be secured in an appropriate child safety restraint system?
- All children under age 4
- All children under age 12
- Only children under age 2
- All children under age 8
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Correct answer: All children under age 8
The Child Passenger Protection Act requires all children under age 8 to be properly secured in an appropriate child safety restraint system.
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road (2026), page 23
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A booster seat must only be used with which type of safety belt?
- A lap/shoulder safety belt
- A lap belt only
- A shoulder strap only
- Any belt, or none at all
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Correct answer: A lap/shoulder safety belt
Booster seats must only be used with a lap/shoulder safety belt.
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road (2026), page 23
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The back seat has only lap belts, no lap/shoulder belts. Which child may ride there without a booster seat, secured with a lap belt only?
- A child weighing more than 20 pounds
- Any child who is at least 2 years old
- A child weighing more than 40 pounds
- No child; a booster seat is required
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Correct answer: A child weighing more than 40 pounds
If the back seat has no lap/shoulder belts, a child weighing more than 40 pounds may ride in the back seat without a booster seat, secured with a lap belt only.
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road (2026), page 23
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Until what age does Illinois law require children to ride in a rear-facing child restraint system, unless they weigh more than 40 pounds or are taller than 40 inches?
- Age 2
- Age 1
- Age 4
- Age 8
Show answer
Correct answer: Age 2
Since Jan. 1, 2019, children must be secured in a rear-facing child restraint until age 2 unless they weigh more than 40 pounds or are more than 40 inches tall.
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road (2026), page 24
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A child under age 2 may ride forward-facing instead of rear-facing if the child:
- Weighs more than 20 pounds or is more than 30 inches tall
- Is riding in the front seat with the air bag switched on
- Weighs more than 40 pounds or is more than 40 inches tall
- Is riding for less than 30 minutes on city/town streets
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Correct answer: Weighs more than 40 pounds or is more than 40 inches tall
The rear-facing requirement until age 2 does not apply if the child weighs more than 40 pounds or is more than 40 inches tall.
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road (2026), page 24
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How many people may ride in the front and rear seats of a vehicle?
- No more than three people in the front seat
- No more than five people in any vehicle
- No more people than there are seat belts
- Any number, as long as the view is clear
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Correct answer: No more people than there are seat belts
There should be no more people in the front and rear seats than there are seat belts.
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road (2026), page 36
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How many sets of safety belts must a passenger vehicle have in the front seat?
- One
- Three
- Two
- None required
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Correct answer: Two
Passenger vehicles must have two sets of safety belts in the front seat.
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road (2026), page 92
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Vehicles manufactured in or after what year may not be sold or operated in Illinois without safety belts?
- 1965
- 1975
- 1985
- 1955
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Correct answer: 1965
Vehicles manufactured in 1965 or after may not be sold or operated in Illinois without safety belts.
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road (2026), page 92