Police will be out in force in May, June checking for seat belt use

Florida — Village of Florida police are taking part in the national “Click it or Ticket” program this May 22 through June 4. Although all vehicles will be checked for seatbelt use, drivers of SUVs and pickup trucks are less likely to wear their seatbelts than drivers of other vehicles. It hasn’t gone unnoticed. “While safety belts are proven to reduce the risk of serious injury or death in a crash by 45 percent in a car, for pickup trucks and SUVs, the risk reduction is as much as 60 percent,” according to a letter from Patrolman J.M. Carr of the Village of Florida police department. The reason? It is a false sense of security from driving in large vehicles, Carr said. The Florida Police Department, along with 10,000 law enforcement agencies throughout the country, will be out in force during the two week crackdown, with checkpoints throughout the village. Those drivers without their seat belts fastened may face a fine. Last year New York amended its law governing children’s safety seats. As of last August, children who are aged 4, 5 and 6 must be restrained in an appropriate child restraint system, or booster seat. The penalty is between $25 and $100. Warwick police Officer Al Csorba is a New York State technician for car seat installation. He has given informational talks on the correct way to install and use a car seat. The correct use of car seats and booster seats has gone up considerably, Csorba said. “It’s enforcement,” he said. “People are using them more now because police are enforcing the law.” Same with seat belts. People sometimes buckle up just so they avoid a ticket if they are stopped by police, Csorba said. But that’s okay — whatever the reason, as long as people are buckling up, Csorba is happy. “A car stops in 1 ½ seconds. You’ll keep going until something stops you. If you are driving, that would be your steering wheel,” he said. “Seat belts are an added safety factor.”