Seat belt enforcement patrols find more than seat belt violators

Between May 21 and June 3, extra law enforcement patrolled Grant and Adams Counties roads at night looking for unbuckled drivers.

During the patrols in Grant and Adams Counties, 88 seatbelt tickets were written, in addition to one DUI, 34 speeding infractions, 27 cell phone and texting tickets, 23 child passenger safety infractions, one misdemeanor drug arrest was made, as well as 23 uninsured motorists and 12 suspended/revoked license violations were written.

Ten years ago, during June 2002, the seat belt law changed from a secondary to a primary law, meaning that law enforcement officers could issue a seat belt ticket when there was no other citable traffic infraction.

This was also the first year the Click it or Ticket patrols were conducted. That year, the seat belt use rate jumped 10 points from 82.6 to 92.6 percent.

During the past 10 years, traffic deaths on Washington roadways are down 29 percent and serious injuries are down 28 percent, while vehicle-miles traveled increased 6.6 percent over this same period.

Studies show seat belt use decreases the chance of dying in a crash by 60 percent and reduces the risk of head injury by 80 percent.

The Central Basin Traffic Safety Task Force and law enforcement in Grant and Adams Counties, worked the extra patrols, funded by federal grants from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.

Statewide 124 police and sheriff agencies plus the Washington State Patrol contributed to this national effort to save lives.

For additional information about the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, visit http://www.wtsc.wa.gov.