‘Click it or ticket’ program launched
By:Donna Lukiw and Melissa Edmond
Police issued 22 summonses to commuters not wearing their seat belts Monday morning to kick off the nationwide Click It or Ticket campaign.
Local police officers across the nation will increase enforcement of the state’s safety belt laws through June 5, and those who fail to buckle up will be issued a ticket that carries a fine of $46 for the first offense.
The goal of the effort is to increase the state’s seat belt use rate percent and reduce fatalities, with a special emphasis on young adults. Motor vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of death for every age.
"You’re more susceptible to injuries without a seat belt," Chief of Police John Petrovic said.
For the past several years, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has helped implement the Click It or Ticket program across the country, helping the local police in conducting intensive Click It or Ticket campaigns with increased enforcement of safety belt laws.
In New Jersey, 381 police agencies participated in the May 2004 Click It or Ticket Enforcement Mobilization. As a result of the enforcement and public information efforts, New Jersey’s seat belt usage rate has risen to an all-time high of 82 percent.
Police say the combination of active law enforcement, paid advertising and the support of government agencies, local schools and unity organizations, continues to be an extremely effective means for increasing safety belt use and saving lives.
In 2004, the campaign efforts helped to increase the national belt-use rate to 80 percent.
More than 12,000 law enforcement agencies in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, will conduct safety belt checkpoints and other special law enforcement activities as part of the effort.
Chief Petrovic said that during the campaign, the police officers in Manville will be looking for drivers without seat belts and issuing summonses if they don’t comply with the seat belt law.
Chief Petrovic said the department has a "zero-tolerance policy" and drivers without seat belts will be given a summons. He said that in 2003, 400 summons were issued and five arrests were made in Manville. In 2004, 250 summons and three arrests were made.
"The program has been successful for the last two years," said Mayor Angelo Corradino.
The Borough Council supported the program in Manville in a proclamation announced at Monday’s meeting. They pledged to increase awareness of the benefits of using safety belts on every trip, every time.
Mayor Corradino said that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death in the United States for ages three through 33. In 2003, 59 percent of all 18- to 34-year-old passenger vehicle occupants who were killed in crashes were not wearing safety belts.
Chief Petrovic said that Manville received a $4,000 state grant for the safety campaign.
"It’s much more adventageous for people to wear safety belts for their own safety without a doubt," he said.

