By Daily Press staff
CITYWIDE As more and more new graduates, day trippers and families move ahead on the open roads this summer, the men and women in blue are making sure they hold something back.
The Santa Monica Police Department is working with other law enforcement agencies from across the state during the annual “Click It or Ticket”seatbelt enforcement campaign — timed to coincide with the heavy summer travel period beginning on memorial day weekend.
Officers are paying extra attention to drivers over the next three weeks, especially teens, who tend to use seatbelts at a lower rate than the state average, according to Christopher J. Murphy, director of the state’s Office of Traffic Safety.
“It is our hope to see even more gains in California’s seatbelt use rate this year,” Murphy said. “We are particularly interested in making sure the state’s teen population is buckling up in greater numbers.”
In 2005, more than 700 people died in accidents during which they were not wearing seatbelts. Officials estimate half would have lived had they buckled up.
California’s 2006 teen seat belt rate was 90.8 percent — well below the state rate of 93.4 percent, but up from 88.6 percent in 2006.
Last year, the SMDP issued 703 tickets for riding without a seatbelt, officials said.
“It takes a mere two seconds to buckle a seatbelt — those two seconds could literally save a life,” said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. “I’m asking all drivers and passengers to buckle up on every single trip, no matter how short or close to home.
The effort, which began Monday, will continue through June 3. In addition to aggressive enforcement, there will also be advertising and public awareness campaigns.
California currently has the fourth-highest seatbelt use rate in the nation, with the 2006 Click It or Ticket campaign resulting in an increase in the state’s seatbelt use rate from 92.5 percent in 2005 to 93.4 in 2006. Since the campaign first began in 2005, nearly one million more drivers and their passengers are buckling up.
“Our department will be putting forth tremendous resources to make sure we have officers on the roads looking for drivers and passengers who are not buckling up,” said Police Chief Timothy Jackman. “The intent of the Click it or Ticket campaign is simple — to save lives and prevent injuries.”
Under state law, every passenger in the car, including the driver, is required to wear a seatbelt at all times. If stopped and found to be in violation, law enforcement will issue citations without warning. Tickets for seatbelt violations range from $80 to $91 for adults.
When children under 6 are not properly secured in a vehicle, the parent or driver can receive points on their driving record, with a fine of $330 to $401 on a first offense and $795 to $791 on a second offense.
Funding for the overtime to support the campaign was provided through a $5.7 million grant from the Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Approximately 270 police departments across the state are taking part in the initiative.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 15, 2007. Read the original PDF.