Riverhead Town Police issued more than 500 summonses during the two-week “Click it or Ticket” campaign conducted May 22- June 4, according to a police department press release issued this morning.
The department issued 528 summonses during the campaign, part of an annual statewide “Buckle Up New York” law enforcement effort.
The total includes 102 summonses for seatbelt violations, six child restraint violations and 372 other Vehicle and Traffic Law violations such as uninspected vehicles, unregistered vehicles, unlicensed drivers, equipment violations and operating a vehicle while using a cellphone, according to the press release.
In addition to patrol enforcement, the department conducted four day-time seatbelt/safety checkpoints and one night-time seatbelt enforcement checkpoint in various parts of the town.
In 1984, New York became the first state to enact a mandatory seat belt law. The law became effective in 1985. New York‘s seat belt law is a “primary enforcement law,“ which means a police officer may stop a driver for not having a seatbelt on.
Increasing seatbelt and child safety seat use is the most effective way to reduce crash-related injuries and fatalities, police said.
New York’s seat belt compliance rate of 92 percent is higher than the national average of 88.5 percent, police said in the release. Riverhead Town’s compliance rate matched the state’s at 92 percent prior to this year’s enforcement campaign, according to a survey done by police before the campaign began. It rose to 94 percent immediately afterward, though it is expected to decrease to the statwide average over time, police said in the press release,
Although the campaign ended on June 4, the Riverhead Town Police Department will continue to emphasize the importance of seatbelt use through their enforcement efforts and will continue to help New York State‘s attempt to improve on its 92-percent seat belt compliance rate, according to the release.
The department said it is also participating in New York State‘s Selective Traffic Enforcement Program throughout the summer months. This campaign aims to enforce aggressive driving type violations such as speeding, unsafe lane changes, fail to signal and disregarding a stop sign or red light in an effort to reduce the number of traffic accidents and traffic fatalities.
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