Police to motorists: Be sure to buckle up

Cranbury police will be steppig up their enforcement of laws that require drivers to wear seat belts.

By: Josh Appelbaum
   Cranbury police say they’re going to step up the enforcement of laws requiring drivers to wear seat belts during an education and enforcement campaign that begins Monday.
   The department will participate in the nationwide Click It or Ticket program, sponsored by the Nation Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and is looking to help raise New Jersey’s safety belt usage rate from 82 percent to 84 percent through an education program and a zero tolerance enforcement campaign, according to Sgt. Frank Dilley, Cranbury’s Click It or Ticket local coordinator.
   He said motorists who aren’t buckled up will get a ticket during the mobilization period, which will run until June 5.
   "We’re going to have roving patrols, and officers will perform random checks at certain intersections at the discretion of officers on detail," Sgt. Dilley said.
   According to the Nation Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 42,000 motor vehicle fatalities occurred in the United States in 2003, the last year statistics are available. In 2003, 747 motor vehicle fatalities were reported in New Jersey. More than half of those motor vehicle fatalities were attributed to those not wearing safety belts.
   Sgt. Dilley said safety belt use is especially important for teens and young adults. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people age 15 to 34 in the United States, according to the NHTSA.
   The New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety said in a press release that traffic safety education and enforcement campaigns like Click It or Ticket save lives.
   Sgt. Dilley said tickets are a strong deterrent to people who shrug off using their safety belts.
   "Hopefully, we’ll raise the percentage of people who use safety belts and cut down on serious injuries and deaths from motor vehicle accidents," Sgt. Dilley said.