Final answer:
North Carolina law requires all drivers and front-seat passengers, as well as passengers under age 16, to wear seat belts or use appropriate child restraints to reduce accidents and the associated long-term societal costs of injuries.
Step-by-step explanation:
Under North Carolina law, all drivers and front-seat passengers in a vehicle must wear seat belts. Additionally, passengers under age 16 must wear seat belts or use suitable child restraints, regardless of where they are sitting in the vehicle. This law is in place to reduce accidents and injuries, and to minimize the long-term medical and physical care costs that society may bear for individuals injured in car accidents. These regulations align with broader societal imperatives to protect public welfare from the consequences of avoidable injuries due to not wearing a seat belt.