Massachusetts State Police Announce Start of Spring 2011 "Click It or Ticket" Mobilization
State Police and more than 180 local police departments have issued zero-tolerance enforcement policies and will be ticketing unbelted vehicle occupants on roadways in Massachusetts. State Police alone will roll hundreds of additional patrols - in addition to regular around-the-clock patrols out of each barracks - during the mobilization.
"Seatbelts are your best defense in a crash, yet more than 25 percent of drivers still fail to buckle up," said Colonel Marian McGovern, superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police. "Tickets will be issued to those who are pulled over and are not wearing their seat belt or if any passenger in the car is unbelted. Everyone in a vehicle needs to buckle up."
In Massachusetts, driving or riding without a properly secured seat belt is punishable by a fine for the driver and for each passenger not properly restrained.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, based on known usage, 52 percent of the passenger vehicle occupants killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2009 in Massachusetts were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash. When worn correctly, seat belts have proven to reduce the risk of a fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants by 45 percent - and by 60 percent in pickup trucks, SUVs, and minivans.
For the 'Click it or Ticket' mobilization, EOPSS has provided more than $543,000 in federal highway safety funds, $493,000 of which was allocated to the state and local police for additional enforcement. The balance of the funds will be used for public information highlighting the benefits of wearing seat belts and the extra enforcement during the mobilization.
During this mobilization, the Massachusetts State Police and nearly 200 local police departments will strive to encourage safety belt compliance across the Commonwealth. For more information, go to www.mass.gov/highwaysafety.