6-9-2010                                   

CLICK IT OR TICKET ENFORCEMENT EFFORT CITES

UNBELTED MOTORISTS

The Dayton Police Department participated in the statewide Click It or Ticket enforcement effort, May 24–June 6.  More than 400 law enforcement agencies statewide participated in the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS)-coordinated enforcement effort aimed at increasing seat belt and child restraint use among motorists. Each year in Minnesota, unbelted motorists account for more than one-half of all motorist deaths.

“Enforcing seat belt use is not just the job of law enforcement, it’s up to every motorist to speak up and tell your passengers to buckle,” says Chief Richard Pietrzak.  “Unbelted motorists are not just endangering themselves. In a crash an unbelted passenger can slam into and injure others in the vehicle.”

The campaign was the first major enforcement of the primary seat belt law this year, and marks the one year anniversary of it becoming effective, June 9, 2009. The primary law requires passengers in all seating positions, including the back seat, to be buckled up or seated in the correct child restraint. Law enforcement officers can stop and ticket motorists solely for seat belt violations, including unbelted passengers. A seat belt fine is $25 but can cost more than $100 with court and administrative fees.

The campaign also included enforcement of Minnesota’s strengthened child passenger safety law that requires children to be in the correct restraint until they are age 8 and 4 feet 9 inches tall. This law requires booster seats for kids usually starting at age 4 to ensure adult seat belts fit them correctly.

The Dayton Police Department focused on nighttime patrols to combat a disproportionate number of unbelted traffic deaths during nighttime hours. During 2006–2008, 64 percent of nighttime (9 p.m. – 3 a.m.) fatal crash victims were not wearing seat belts.  Chief Pietrzak states “Just this past weekend, there was a driver who rolled their vehicle on Dayton River Road.  Thankfully the driver was wearing her seatbelt and was able to walk away from the accident with no serious injury.”

Each year, unbelted motorists account for more than half of all vehicle occupants killed. Belt use is especially poor among teens and young adults. Statewide each year, motorists ages 15–29 account for 45 percent of all unbelted deaths, yet this group represents only 25 percent of licensed drivers. This same age group accounts for 55 percent of all unbelted serious injuries.

The Click It or Ticket enforcement effort is a component of the state’s Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) initiative. TZD is a multi-agency approach to address traffic issues regionally through enforcement, education, engineering and emergency trauma care.

 1-1-2010  Happy New Year!!  Please take a moment to go to the forms button and read the amendments to a couple of our Ordinances. Beginning January 1, 2010, parking is no longer allowed on city streets between the hours of 2 am and 6 am with out obtaining a permit.  To obtain a permit, please call 763-427-2017 for more info.