Do I have to wear a seat belt in the rear seat?

Let's get one thing straight first off: you should wear a seat belt in the rear seat, as it significantly increases the likelihood of avoiding death or serious injury in a crash.

That said, the law varies. Some states mandate the use of seat belts in all seats, others only in the front; some allow police officers to pull you over for not wearing a seat belt and in others you can be ticketed for not wearing one, but only if the officer pulls you over for some other violation. Age can be a factor as well.

There's a link in the Related Links section that provides additional details.