David Lombardo is reporting for the Times Union included in the budget amendments released by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo last week is a proposal to expand seat belt requirements for adults. Under the new provision, passengers might soon be required to wear a seat belt no matter how old they are or where they are sitting in a vehicle. Currently, passengers under the age of 16 are already required to be buckled up or secured in a child restraint system regardless of where they sit in a car. In a 2016 report, the American Automobile Association noted the state was once a leader in vehicle occupant protection, but it had fallen behind. According to AAA [triple A], "far too many adults are not buckling up in the back seat since it is not required under current New York state law." Compared to rear passengers wearing a seat belt, an unbelted passenger in the back is three times more likely to be killed, and twice as likely to kill someone in the front seat. Cuomo's initial budget proposal included the elimination of the exception to seatbelt requirements for limousines, buses, taxis, livery vehicles and school buses. That provision was prompted by the deadly stretch limousine crash that killed 20 people in October in Schoharie County. Read the full story in the Times Union.