Michigan Safety Belt Enforcement Continues Through Thanksgiving Weekend

Law enforcement agencies throughout Michigan will continue aggressive safety belt enforcement through the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. They remind motorists to Buckle Up Or Pay Up.

* More than 200 safety belt enforcement zones are operating in 20 counties over the two-week period Nov. 17 through Nov. 30.

* On the first day of the mobilization, 31 enforcement zones in 16 counties resulted in 1,462 safety belt citations and 11 felony arrests.

* During the first week of the mobilization, there were 4,043 safety belt citations issued in zones that had reported results as of Friday, Nov. 21. In addition, a suspect was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon and possessing more than a kilo of narcotics. There was one drunk driving arrest and 146 arrests for driving with a suspended license. There were two other FBI felony warrant arrests and 13 vehicles were impounded. During the first week, enforcement zones resulted in 24 felony arrests and 170 other misdemeanor arrests.

* Recent similar efforts by Michigan's law enforcement personnel have helped increase Michigan's safety belt use to a record high of nearly 85 percent.

* Mobilizations are planned over the Thanksgiving holiday because it is the busiest travel week of the year. According to a new report on National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) findings released by the U. S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS):

     --  Nine out of 10 Thanksgiving holiday travelers (about 91%) use
         personal vehicles to travel.  About half (44%) of those trips are
         relatively short (50-99 miles) and originate on Thursday.

  Video News Release Available

A VNR is available showing the operation of an actual enforcement zone in progress.

  Monday, Nov. 24, 2003
  1615 to 1630 ET
  Satellite:  Galaxy 11 (Located at 91 Degrees West)
  Transponder: K11
  Downlink Frequency: 12020 MegaHertz Vertical
  Audio Subcarriers: 6.2 and 6.8 MegaHertz

  For more detailed information:

* On safety belt mobilizations, or an up-to-date listing of enforcement activities, visit the Office of Highway Safety Planning's Web site at www.michigan.gov/ohsp . Click on the Buckle Up or Pay Up logo.

* On Thanksgiving holiday travel, visit www.bts.gov

PRNewswire -- Nov. 24