Monday, November 15, 2010

CCSO Participates In Holiday Safety Belt Campaign

Safety belts save lives, but sometimes the fear of getting a traffic ticket is the only reason someone will wear one. That’s why the Collier County Sheriff’s Office is joining law enforcement agencies nationwide for the Thanksgiving Holiday Travel Campaign. The heightened safety belt education campaign will take place Nov. 15 - 28.

CCSO Safety belt education and enforcement efforts are paying off. At 91 percent, Collier has the highest safety belt compliance rate of any Florida county.

Of the 25 motor vehicle occupants who have been killed in crashes on Collier County roads so far this year, only seven were known to be wearing safety belts.

During a Click it or Ticket campaign in May, CCSO deputies handed out seat belt violation citations to 1,229 unbelted drivers and passengers. An additional 286 drivers and passengers received written warnings. So far this year CCSO has issued 2,880 citations to unbelted drivers and passengers. The combination of active law enforcement and high-profile publicity continues to be an effective means for increasing safety belt use – and saving lives.