'Click It Or Ticket' Nets 14,137 Occupant Protection Charges
21 September 2000
'Click It Or Ticket' Nets 14,137 Occupant Protection Charges From Aug. 28 - Sept. 17; GHSP Director Lauds Campaign As One Of The Most Successful In State History
RALEIGH, N.C., Sept. 20 During the course of the fall
"Click It or Ticket" campaign, North Carolina law enforcement once again
demonstrated that they have the dedication and the enthusiasm to make occupant
protection a top priority throughout the state.
During the course of the three-week campaign, which ran from August 28 -
September 17, officers statewide conducted 2,396 law enforcement activities in
support of North Carolina's seat belt and child passenger safety initiative.
As a result of these activities, law enforcement wrote 12,956 seat belt and
1,181 child passenger safety violations. The numbers were reported by law
enforcement agencies in each county and compiled by the North Carolina State
Highway Patrol.
"This is the second time this year that we have challenged law enforcement
to conduct more than 2,000 checkpoints and patrols on behalf of 'Click It or
Ticket,' " said Joe Parker, director of the Governor's Highway Safety Program.
"Not only do the numbers they have reported make this one of the most
successful campaigns in state history, but it sets a precedent that this high
level of activity can be achieved during every campaign."
Besides cracking down on seat belt and child passenger safety violators,
officers charged 2,315 with driving while impaired (DWI). They discovered a
total of 65,871 violations, including 630 drug charges, 47 stolen vehicles,
and 16 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. Beginning December 1, anyone who fails
to adhere to these laws will get two points on his or her driver's license.
Statewide Totals
DWI Occupant Restraint Traffic Violations
Driving Child
While Passenger Total
Total Impaired Seat Belt Safety Traffic
Checkpoints Violations Violations Violations Speeding Violations
and Patrols
819 765 4,331 402 6,665 20,189
(Aug. 28-Sept. 3)
871 809 4,759 431 7,761 23,114
(Sept. 4-10)
706 741 3,866 348 7,164 19,647
(Sept. 11-17)
2,396 2,315 12,956 1,181 21,590 62,950
(Totals)
Criminal Violations
Other
Misdemeanor Felony Stolen Criminal
Drug Drug Firearm Vehicles Fugitives Violations
Violations Violations Violations Recovered Arrested Not Listed
189 49 10 14 1 748
132 51 18 16 8 835
162 47 20 17 7 612
483 147 48 47 16 2,195
Total
Total Traffic &
Criminal Criminal
Violations Violations
996 21,185
1,060 24,174
865 20,512
2,921 65,871