Law Enforcement Gears up for 'Click It or Ticket' - A GIANT WASTE OF RESOURCES

Editor's Note: Law enforement agencies throughout the country (not just California) are about to begin the yearly program that I feel is a tremendous waste of time and money. I'm not taking this position because I disagree with enforced use of seatbelts (which I do), but because there are far more pressing road-related problems that should be policed and enforced. For example: tailgating, use of turn indicators, improper merging onto and off of highways, making turns without drifting into the far lanes, and parallel parking. Then, of course, there are all those people driving without licenses and without insurance I see no value in forcing people to wear seatbelts and then allowing drivers to drive like schmucks, or illegally.
Marc J. Rauch, Exec. VP

SACRAMENTO, CA - May 15, 2006: More than 350 law enforcement agencies throughout California will be out in force during the next three weeks as part of the statewide "Click It or Ticket" seat belt campaign. The annual mobilization -- which runs May 15, 2006 through June 4, 2006 -- is designed to increase seat belt use in California.

"Wearing a seat belt is the easiest act anyone can do to prevent a potentially fatal injury during an automobile collision," stated Mike Brown, Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol. "It's important, it's simple, and it saves lives."

During last year's campaign, the CHP and local police departments issued more than 155,000 seat belt citations.

"Click It or Ticket" debuted in California last year, and the results were immediate: seat belt use increased from 90.4 percent in 2004 to 92.5 percent in 2005. The additional 2.1 percentage point increase translated into 657,000 additional vehicle occupants buckled up in California.

Four traffic-safety related departments within the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency are combining resources in connection with "Click It or Ticket." The CHP will lead the stepped-up enforcement effort of safety laws to save lives. The Office of Traffic Safety will fund the law enforcement traffic safety operations by distributing $5.2 million in seat belt mini-grants to 244 law enforcement agencies in California. Grant funding will go toward paying for officer overtime in connection with the mobilization. Changeable Message Signs operated by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will carry "Click It or Ticket" messaging during the campaign, as will LED screens in various field offices operated by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

"The two seconds it takes to buckle a seat belt not only save lives, but prevent injuries and monetary losses to society," said Christopher J. Murphy, Director of the state Office of Traffic Safety.

The fine for failing to properly buckle up any child under age 16 is about $350 per child. The driver gets the ticket if the parent is not in the car. The fine for unbuckled vehicle occupants over the age of 16 is $80 to $91, depending upon the jurisdiction.