VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The new seat belt law goes into effect August 1st in North Dakota.

North Dakota Highway Patrol Captain Bryan Niewind said the new law consists of the seat belt becoming a primary enforcement, meaning, no other violation is required for a driver to be pulled over by law enforcement.

According to the North Dakota Department of Transportation, 522 people died on North Dakota roads from 2017 to 2021 of those killed in vehicle crashes, 51 percent were not wearing a seat belt.

Meanwhile, the State of Minnesota legalized recreational marijuana, the new law goes into effect August 1st.

Niewind said with that new law, troopers may see an increase in marijuana possession violation from those who don’t know that recreational marijuana isn’t legal in North Dakota.

The full interview with Niewind is available below.