From Maryland State Police:
After a 14-day police mobilization, the 2013 Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement campaign in Baltimore, Harford, and Cecil Counties comes to an end with an announcement by The Maryland State Police that 2,568 seat belt tickets and 38 child restraint citations were issued during the region’s special safety crackdown. This campaign was made possible by Troopers from the Bel Air Barrack, J.F.K. Highway Barrack, and North East Barrack. Their combined efforts resulted in over a 300% increase of last years campaign totals. Troopers arrested 10 people in possession of drugs, 13 people with outstanding warrants, 3 D.U.I. drivers’ including 1 transporting a child, and seized 1 illegal gun from an identified motorcycle gang member, all of which were discovered from a seat belt related traffic stop. Troopers’ were also present for several community events and conducted numerous child safety seat inspections and “seat belt convincer” rides.
“The annual Click it or Ticket mobilization may be over, but that is no excuse to stop using your seat belt,” said Corporal Jonathan Novack of the Maryland State Police. “Our law enforcement officers are out all year long. If you or your passengers are caught not wearing a seatbelt at any time, day or night, you will be cited for the safety violation.”
According to the latest preliminary statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 86 percent of passenger vehicle occupants across the nation in 2012 were wearing seat belts—an all-time high rate.
High-visibility enforcement such as the Click It or Ticket mobilization is credited with increasing the national belt usage rate from 58 percent in 1994 to the estimated observed usage rate of 86 percent in 2012. Belt usage saves thousands of lives across America each year. NHTSA statistics show that in 2011 alone, seat belts saved an estimated 11,949 lives nationwide.
“The Maryland State Police Northern Troop is proud to have supported the 2013 Click It or Ticket mobilization – a highly visible national enforcement crackdown created to save more lives on our roadways,” said Lieutenant Dan Fairburn – Commander of the JFK Highway Barrack. “Both during day and also at night, our stepped-up enforcement showed Maryland how important it really is for everyone to always buckle up every trip, every time. Don’t forget to buckle up and please encourage those around you to always do the same.”
For more on the national Click It or Ticket mobilization, please visit www.nhtsa.gov.
Meanwhile 200 kilos of Cocaine were able to be safely transported through the area because the police were too busy writing seatbelt tickets.
It’s all about the revenue. It has nothing to do with safety.
Another stupid law from the Nanny State. How ’bout you just include it in an improved driver’s education before anyone takes their test? No need to waste police time and taxpayer money enforcing another useless law under the guise of “what’s best for us” unless of course, the easy revenue is just too much to turn down?
yep; just like speed cameras and red-light cameras; contractor admits to shorting time on yellow light in Fla. to churn up more tickets; DC announces millions from a relatively short strip of redlight/speed cameras; Big Brother is watching, and he’s sending you a ticket.
I think the headline is actually supposed to be:
“Maryland State Police Northern Troop Completes Click It or Ticket Crackdown as an Easy Money Grab from Maryland Residents”
Get a turbo so you can make the yellow light.
How is it ok to ride a motorcycle but not ok to not wear a seatbelt in a car? You hurt no one but yourself by not wearing a seatbelt… It’s your car if you don’t want to wear the seatbelt no one should have the right to tell you to do so. I
Yep, ain’t hurtin nobody else until I gotta pay for your kids to go to the orphanage or foster home when you get wiped out. Or my tax dollars are used to subsidize your medical bills since you didn’t have insurance.
Troopers are damned if they do and damned if they dont.
No – they’re only damned by they masters (politicians) if they don’t bring home the revenues. What about US, the ones who pay for them. The ones who live in the communities with them – all we’re really looking for is crime prevention (not well-written, after the fact crime reports) and reasonable civil law enforcement. Seat belt laws, red light cameras and the like are nothing more than revenue vehicles for our bureaucrats.
I think most people understand the Troopers are following orders and that it is our elected officials that are out of control.
Not on Dagger
I would suggest a new program………..solve a crime, earn your dime. Lets shift all of the seatbelt resources to solving all of the bank robberies in H.C. Oh that’s right, there is no money in solving crimes.
Better than a rain tax. At least all I have to do is wear my seat belt to avoid the little fine everyone gets so so very salty about.
Bridge:
It’s not that you have to wear your seat belt, most people do including me. It is that the police waste resources on all of this non sense when there is some much crime just exploding in our community. Juts look at the Daggar and see all of the armed robberies which are way up.
But the bottom line Bridge is that it is all about the money. There is a lot of money in writing these nuisance tickets and no one goes to court. So it’s just a giant cash grab.
There is no money in solving crime and quite candidly, the cops spend so much money on revenue raising activities that I really don’t think most of them have the proper training to solve criminal activity. They are efficient at writing reports.
Remember when they first passed this law; they said it wouldn’t be a first offense. Oops, now it is.
New Headlines:
2,568 citizens no longer support the Maryland State Police and call for a 20% reduction in their budget. When the State Police think that writing $25 tickets for seat belts is a good use of taxpayer money, and a positive public relations endeavor, it’s time for a change in their leadership.