Many things can be purchased for $65. Motorists could fill up a tank of gas, take that special someone out to a nice dinner or pay a fine for not wearing a seat belt.
Drivers should keep this in mind as the statewide ‘Buckle Up or Pay Up, Click It or Ticket? safety belt enforcement mobilization begins May 22 and runs until June 4.
Federal traffic safety funds for law enforcement agencies in 55 of the state’s 83 counties are provided from the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) to pay for the program.
According to Eileen Weisse, Director of Traffic Safety Programs for the Traffic Improvement Association, local safety enforcement zones include: M-15 at Dixie Highway, Holly Road at Grange Hall Road, Sashabaw Road at Clarkston Road and Dixie Highway at White Lake Road.
‘For the two week period you’ll see signs up and a number of officers in that area. They will be writing safety belt violations. So if you buckle up, you don’t have any problems,? said Weisse.
Safety enforcement zones are conducted on roadways with crash problems or where belt use is low. As stated in a OHSP press release, special portable signs will alert motorists they are entering an enforcement area. One officer serves as spotter, communicating via radio unbelted motorist information to nearby marked patrol cars or motorcycles.
‘A lot of it is about making people aware (the officers) are going out there? We want the drivers to know,? said Sergeant Lynne Walker of the Michigan State Police Groveland post. ‘There’s some people who don’t believe in seat belts and don’t wear them. We hope to change their opinion. Some people are of the opinion it will not affect them. We have proof from the compliance rates that (seat belts) do work.?
‘We know the fusion of enforcement and advertising has increased safety belt use and saved lives in the past,? said Michael L. Prince, OHSP division director in the press release. ‘Expanding enforcement efforts to new counties and running ads statewide will help make sure that everyone gets the message that they need to wear safety belts.?
Safety belt enforcement is expanding because of the state’s goal to reach 95 percent safety belt use, a two percent increase from last year’s totals, states the press release.
‘Seat belts save lives and the fatalities in Michigan I know have gone down since people have been wearing seat belts more,? said Walker.
This year’s program adds two new counties, Barry and Cass, after five new counties joined last year. As stated in the OHSP release, safety belt use in Michigan increased from 90.5 percent in 2004 to 92.9 percent in 2005. The number of traffic deaths in Michigan fell from 1,159 in 2004 to 1,129 in 2005.