Buckle Up or Be Prepared to Pay Up

The Fair Haven Police Department (FHPD) will aggressively look for motorists not wearing their seat belts, and those who aren't buckled up should be prepared to pay.

The department is taking part in this year’s statewide Click It or Ticket program, from May 23rd to June 5th, employing a zero tolerance approach to those who are found to be unbuckled, according to FHPD Sergeant Robert Townshend.  FHPD is one of hundreds of police departments participating throughout the state.

“While patrols are always on the lookout for seat belt violations, there will be an increased emphasis with a zero tolerance approach.  Routine patrols will be encouraged to aggressively enforce the seat belt laws, and there will be check points set up at various times throughout the borough to check for compliance,” said Townshend, via email. Townshend is in charge of the FHPD’s Traffic Safety Division.

Townshend explained the program is a “two-pronged” effort to get motorists to wear seatbelts. First, there is a “publicity campaign to heighten awareness of the dangers of not wearing a seat belt, and the consequences that go along with it.” He said the second prong is the enforcement, which will aggressively enforce New Jersey’s Seat Belt Law.  

Townshend said this is his third year of running the campaign for Fair Haven. “No question, it’s been successful,” he said, in a telephone interview. He said that the numbers in seat belt violations have definitely been on a downtrend, and the percentage of those complying with the seat belt law has risen—and is estimated to be nearly 93.73 percent.    

The Click It or Ticket’s media initiative, according to Townshend, definitely gets the public’s attention. He said he has heard people in town talking about it, telling others to wear seat belts or they will get a ticket—so the awareness is there.  For Fair Haven, this is the seventh year it has been involved in either the Click It or Ticket initiative or similar campaigns that enforce seatbelt use and promote safety.

During the two-week period, motorists will be handed a so-called palm card, containing information on seat belt safety that stresses the importance of buckling up. The card states: “Wearing a seat belt, regardless of seating position, increases your changes of surviving a crash by as much as 75 percent.” The card also cites the state’s seat belt law, and puts it bluntly to motorists:  “Unbelted occupants become bullets in a crash.”

Townshend said that the borough will also be using its signboard and other media outlets to get the word out about the program.

Last year’s program yielded some positive results for the FHPD. In addition to seatbelt violations, police even made other arrests and ticketed motorists for other violations during the campaign.

FHPD reported the following arrests and citations last year: one motorist was driving while intoxicated; 12 people were found not be wearing seat belts; two fugitives were apprehended, and one drug arrest was made, according to a report filed by FHPD with the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety (NJDHTS). FHPD also reported two motorists had license suspensions, one driver was uninsured, and nine motorists were ticketed for speeding. Nineteen others were cited for other violations. The fugitive apprehensions, according to Townshend, were people who had outstanding warrants.

Participating police departments statewide last year reported 35,500 seatbelt violations, 592 DWIs, and over 1,000 fugitive apprehensions, according to NJDHTS. In addition, they reported over 1,000 children were not restrained in cars.