NPD increasing seat belt enforcement

As summer kicks off and families hit the road for vacation, The Newport Police Department posted on its Facebook page that it is partnering with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) to remind motorists to Click It or Ticket.

From May 20 through June 2, participating agencies across the state will increase seat belt enforcement as part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) nationwide mobilization.

“We want seat belt use to be an automatic habit for drivers and passengers alike,” said Police Chief Scott Lamb. “It’s not just a safe thing to do — it’s the law. During the Click It or Ticket campaign, we’ll be working with our fellow law enforcement officers across local and state lines to ensure the message gets out to drivers and passengers. Buckling up is the simplest thing you can do to limit injury or save your life during a crash. We see the results of not wearing a seat belt all the time. We see the loss of life. So often, it could have been prevented.”

In the social media post, Lamb noted that four traffic-related fatalities have occurred in Newport that could have been prevented with seatbelt use.

One focus of the Click It or Ticket campaign is nighttime enforcement. NHTSA data shows a higher number of unrestrained passenger vehicle occupant fatalities happen at night. Also, seat belt use differs among females and males. According to Tennessee’s Integrated Traffic Analysis Network (TITAN), 43% of males killed in Tennessee crashes last year were unrestrained. Of females killed in crashes, 35% were not buckled up.

Participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement, writing citations day and night. In Tennessee, the maximum penalty for a seat belt violation is a $30 fine for the first offense and $55 fine for every subsequent offense.

For more information about seat belt safety, visit www.tntrafficsafety.org/seat-belts.