The start of summer will soon be upon us, and another busy travel season is beginning. This is a great time to remind the public that vehicle occupants not wearing safety belts will result in summonses. The Bedford Police Department, in partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Commission (GTSC), is kicking off the annual May Click It or Ticket campaign. From May 18th through May 31st, Officer’s will be paying special attention for motorists and their occupants not wearing their seatbelts.
Some reminders: The public is reminded that New York is a “primary enforcement” state. A police officer can and will issue a traffic ticket just for failure to wear a seat belt. Also, a ticket can be issued to the driver who fails to make sure a child passenger is properly secured in a safety seat or with a seat belt. In the front seat, the driver and each passenger must wear a seat belt. The driver and front-seat passengers aged 16 or older can be fined up to $50 each for failure to buckle up. Every occupant, regardless of age or seating position, of a motor vehicle being operated by the holder of a Class-DJ Learner Permit, a Limited Class-DJ, or Class-DJ Driver License must use a seat belt. Lastly, each passenger under age 16 must wear a seat belt or use an appropriate child safety restraint system. Full information on child safety restraint laws are available on the NYS DMV website dmv.ny.gov.
The Bedford Police Department is highly dedicated to traffic safety, and believes changing public attitudes regarding the non-use of safety belts and child safety seats will save many lives. Visible enforcement programs which focus on these violations offer the greatest potential for changing these behaviors. If you fail to buckle up, you run the risk of getting a ticket, or worse, being injured or killed. Please buckle up! Seat belts really do save lives.
