Click it or ticket

[Darin]

I've been seeing the commercials and advertisements about the click it or ticket campaign. I have a few questions about it. Are LEO going to be heavily enforcing this? Can you stop someone for only this offense? How hard is it to tell if someone has their seat belt on? Do you agree with this law? Thanx! And BTW I always wear my seat belt and support this law and was just curious as to what eveyone thinks.

[EricTheBald]

Just a thought...

How about you just wear your seatbelt?

Not because it's the law but because NOT using one is a dumb@ss thing to do.

[zander_zye]

Yes, the CVC (California Vehicle Code) allows an officer to pull you over and ticket just for not having a seat belt on.

Do I agree with it? No - for the same reason I don't agree with helmet laws. You cannot protect a person from his or her own stupidity. (I always wear a seatbelt when driving and a helmet on a motorcyle because I like my head - lol)

[Officer Moe]

In Arkansas its a Secondary Offense at this time so we have to find "other probable cause" to stop and ticket. There was a representative on a morning radio station here in central AR one morning saying it was on the ballot to become a primary law and if it passed that can be the ONLY reason to stop and detain. A caller called in and said, " What about a Driver being intoxicated?" He said ONLY seatbelt enforcement and nothing else. I wish I had his name and I could tell the victims to call him when they sue the PD for NOT taking action because it was a seatbelt infraction only.

[scan]

Originally posted by Officer Moe
In Arkansas its a Secondary Offense at this time so we have to find "other probable cause" to stop and ticket.

Same thing here

[Lfpdlieu302]

same place as moe, so same answer. hey moe, i guess i never knew, or forgot that you were in arkansas. what part are you from?

[Officer Moe]

Live in Cabot

Worked in Cabot for 3.5 years

Currently work in Sherwood.

Been here since 91 (14 yo). Graduated HS and joined the Army. I remember telling my dad at 14 years old that I would never join the Army. I remember having a conversation with a Lt. in the Army and said I'd never be a cop.

My current advice to a lot of people I come in contact with is Never Say Never.

[Lfpdlieu302]

now that i read that, i think you did say that once, i've slept since then! lol;)

[vadep]

It is a secondary offense in Virginia... meaning you can not be stopped for for that. During the click it or ticket campaign, you will find zero tolerance...

[DepDog]

Its a primary stop here in Michigan. The click it or ticket campaign started this past Monday, May 19th 2003.

Today was the first day I worked and wrote 23 seatbelt violations in 4 hours. I ended up with 33 violations for the day, the others were for mostly speeding.

Its not too hard to observe someone not wearing a seatbelt. I sat just off the roadway facing the street in a 35 mph zone. So the vehicles were not going that fast, as so I could see them. Plus the sun was coming up in the east and I was targeting westbound vehicles which made it much easier to see.

During midday it is harder to see inside vehicles as they are going by because of the glare of the sun.

I agree with the law, I have seen many traffic accidents were seatbelts saved lifes, and would have saved lifes if they had been wearing them.

[gdowkpc]

It's a primary offense in Oregon. We have 89% compliance, but Oregon is enforcing heavily right now. It might be federal money because we are experiencing cuts in overtime, yet new overtime money for seatbelt missions is readily available. I know its not coming from the state.

I have been enforcing seatbelts more recently....getting on the bandwagon I guess. The interesting correlation I have found is that most of the drivers I find not wearing their seatbelts are irresponsible in some of their other responsibilities. Many don't have insurance or a valid license.
I find this in more that 1/2 the people I stop when the seatbelt violation is the reason for the stop (keep in mind I usually offer a warning when there is no other violation present, and seatbelt violations can be discharged if a $20 seatbelt class is attended).

I say more than 1/2. I don't have an exact count, but it was extremely surprising (when you remove the old man types). It was way more than the numbers when compared to stops for something like speeding. I don't know why this is. I use seatbelt violations to find the bigger fish now.

[Darin]

Originally posted by DepDog


Today was the first day I worked and wrote 23 seatbelt violations in 4 hours. I ended up with 33 violations for the day, the others were for mostly speeding.

Wow 33 violations in a day! You was hopping that day!

[Stump]

It was a Secondary Offense in NY until a relatively recently. Now the person can get pulled over for just the seatbelt infraction.

Our State Police cars patrol the highways all the time, and pull over at least 200 cars in their 12 hr shift (hard to believe but they can write a ticket and get back out on the road in 3 minutes is what I am told). Anyway, they constantly are giving them. They also occassionally stake out certain high traffic areas for other offenses too - people who talk on cell phones (we have the hands free law), speeders, seatbelts, headlights, etc...

This weekend they are really kicking it with the seatbelt thing. I saw the sign tonight on the expressway "Buckle up. No excuses".... I agree with it.

[gdowkpc]

Motorcycle officers have a huge advantage here for enforcement. I have gotten to the point where I can be going the opposite direction of a car, and when we pass can see the seatbelt dangling there. It takes some effort to get turned around in a big police car, and I hesitate to risk a crash making a u-turn to get someone with a seatbelt infraction.

My favorite places to sit are on 1-way streets, and to sit on the side of the street where the driver is nearest me. Seems to give the best view.

Seems a little trickier to come up behind someone and figure out if the have a belt on or not. You gotta look for the shoulder strap. But some cars the strap goes from the headrest down, not the pillar. I usually use that technique to verify, then watch carefully all the way to approach for movements consistant with putting the belt on or taking it off.

These motorcycle guys have quotas. They only need 4 an hour, but they talk about pulling a car over with 4 occupants and none have their seatbelts on. Score.

[Barenaked]

These motorcycle guys have quotas

UH OH here we go.....

I thought PD's don't have quotas on writing tickets. I thought it was illegal in most states.

Am I wrong?