NEWS RELEASE

RELEASE DATE:  May 7, 2008 Wednesday

Tazewell Police Department Launches Enforcement Blitz to Save Lives
on Virginia’s Roadways

Special ‘Click It or Ticket’ Enforcement Mobilization
Aims to Increase Seat Belt Use

This March, Tazewell Police Department will be cracking down on motorists not wearing their seat belts with a special “Click It or Ticket” enforcement mobilization in an effort to save more lives on Virginia’s roadways.

Statistics show that 62 percent of all passenger vehicle occupants killed in fatal crashes in Virginia during 2006, were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the fatality.

The Tazewell Police Department will be out in force with other State and local law enforcement agencies ticketing all motorists not buckled up on Virginia’s roadways.

Special seat belt checkpoints and other stepped-up law enforcement activities will be conducted during a heavy wave of enforcement, March 16-22.

Chief Hieatt still believes that too many people still take the attitude that it will never happen to them. “They don’t realize fatal crashes can and do happen every day. Progress has been made, but there are still too many people dying who could have been saved had they been wearing their seat belt”, says Chief Hieatt.  Chief Hieatt is increasing enforcement to ensure that all passengers are always buckling up. 

Regular use of seat belts clearly saves lives. Tazewell Police Department fully agrees that  seat belt use is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes. When lap/shoulder belts are worn correctly, seat belts have proven to reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants.

Wearing your seat belt costs you nothing, but not wearing it could cost you a ticket, or worse - your life.  Please remember to buckle up every time you are in a vehicle.