As motorists take to the roads this Memorial Day holiday, Cherry Hill Police are urging everyone to buckle up. Beginning Monday, May 18, law enforcement officials will be out in full force, taking part in the 2015 national Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement mobilization and cracking down on motorists who are not belted.
“As we enter the busy summer driving season, it is critical that everyone buckles up every time they go out, day and night, no excuses,” said Sgt. Glenn Charney, who oversees the department’s traffic safety squad. “Our officers are prepared to ticket anyone not wearing their seat belt, including drivers that have neglected to properly secure their children.”
At 6 p.m. on May 18, Cherry Hill will join law enforcement agencies across the Eastern United States in mobilizing the Click It or Ticket “Border to Border” Operation. Law enforcement agencies will join forces to provide increased seat belt enforcement at state borders, sending a zero tolerance message to the public: driving or riding unbuckled will result in a ticket, no matter what state.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 9,580 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2013 were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash. And unbelted fatalities are more prevalent at night than during the daytime. Fifty-nine percent of those killed in 2013 during the overnight hours of 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m. were unbelted at the time of the crash.
“Seat belts save thousands of lives every year, but far too many motorists are still not buckling up, especially at night when the risk of a crash is even greater,” said Charney. “We want to make this the safest summer possible. Buckling up is not optional, it’s the difference between life and death in a crash. That’s why we’re stressing the importance of Click it or Ticket, every time, day or night.”
From 2008 to 2012, seat belts have saved nearly 63,000 lives nationwide. So while this year’s Click It or Ticket enforcement mobilization runs from May 18 through May 31, officers will continue to save lives by enforcing the seat belt laws year-round.
For more on the national Click It or Ticket mobilization, please visit www.nhtsa.gov.
