No. Carolina's 'Click It or Ticket' Scores 7,000+ Tickets
1 June 2000
Big Brother is Alive and Well in NC
Law Enforcement Statewide Surpass 2,000 in 2000 Challenge With Record-Breaking
Number of Activities
RALEIGH, N.C. - On the heels of a challenge to conduct 2,000 seat belt and
child passenger safety activities during the first "Click It or Ticket" campaign
of the year, law enforcement across the state have responded overwhelmingly,
conducting 2,304 checkpoints and random patrols with one week of the campaign
remaining.
Between May 22-28, the second week of the campaign, officers statewide
conducted 1,136 law enforcement activities in support of North Carolina's seat
belt and child passenger safety initiative, which will continue through
June 4. As a result of these activities, law enforcement wrote 7,070 seat
belt and 577 child passenger safety violations. The numbers were reported by
law enforcement agencies in each county and compiled by the North Carolina
State Highway Patrol.
"The response we have received from law enforcement across the state has
been outstanding," said Joe Parker, director of the Governor's Highway Safety
Program. "We want to send the message that not buckling up yourself or your
child is unacceptable, and I think with these numbers, we are getting our
point across."
Besides cracking down on seat belt and child passenger safety violators,
officers last week charged 857 with driving while impaired (DWI). They
discovered a total of 28,032 violations, including 298 drug charges, 21 stolen
vehicles, and 8 fugitives from justice.
The goal of "Click It or Ticket" is to boost seat belt use in North
Carolina, saving lives, preventing injuries, and reducing the massive health-
care costs associated with traffic crashes. In addition to ticketing
unbuckled drivers, officers are paying particular attention to unrestrained
children. All children up to age 16 must be buckled up no matter where they
ride in the vehicle. Children under age 5 and weighing less than 40 pounds
must ride in a child passenger safety seat -- in the back seat, if the vehicle
has an active passenger-side airbag. Safety experts recommend that all
children up to age 12 ride in the back seat, which is the safest place to
travel.
Statewide Totals
DWI Occupant Restraint Traffic Violations
Driving Child
While Safety Total
Total Impaired Seat Belt Seat Traffic
Checkpoints Violations Violations Violations Speeding Violations
1,168 758 7,171 466 6,090 22,654
(5/15-21)
1,136 857 7,070 577 7,166 25,333
(5/22-28)
Criminal Violations
Other
Misdemeanor Felony Stolen Criminal
Drug Drug Firearm Vehicles Fugitives Violations
Violations Violations Violations Recovered Arrested Not Listed
187 48 24 19 13 519
221 77 30 21 8 1,485
Criminal Violations
Total
Total Traffic &
Criminal Criminal
Violations Violations
811 23,465
1,842 28,032
For county-by-county "Click It or Ticket" numbers, contact Jill Warren
Lucas or Erica Hinton at the GHSP, 919-733-3083.
