Granite Falls, Clarkfield, Upper Sioux Community and Yellow Medicine County — During the statewide Click It or Ticket enforcement effort, May 24–June 6, Granite Falls Officers, Clarkfield Officers, Upper Sioux Community Officers and Yellow Medicine County Deputies generated 31 seat belt and 1 child restraint citations. More than 400 law enforcement agencies statewide participated in the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS)-coordinated enforcement effort aimed at increasing seat belt and child restraint use among motorists. Each year in Minnesota, unbelted motorists account for more than one-half of all motorist deaths.
The campaign was the first major enforcement of the primary seat belt law this year, and marks the one year anniversary of it becoming effective, June 9, 2009. The primary law requires passengers in all seating positions, including the back seat, to be buckled up or seated in the correct child restraint. Law enforcement officers can stop and ticket motorists solely for seat belt violations, including unbelted passengers. A seat belt fine is $110 with court and administrative fees.
The campaign also included enforcement of Minnesota’s strengthened child passenger safety law that requires children to be in the correct restraint until they are age 8 and 4 feet 9 inches tall. This law requires booster seats for kids usually starting at age 4 to ensure adult seat belts fit them correctly.
Special nighttime belt patrols conducted during the campaign resulted in 10 citations. All agencies involved, focused on nighttime patrols to combat a disproportionate number of unbelted traffic deaths during nighttime hours. During 2006–2008, 64 percent of nighttime (9 p.m. – 3 a.m.) fatal crash victims were not wearing seat belts.
Each year, unbelted motorists account for more than half of all vehicle occupants killed. Non-belt use is especially an issue in Greater Minnesota communities. Annually, nearly 80 percent of unbelted traffic deaths occur on Greater Minnesota roads. Belt use is especially poor among teens and young adults. Statewide each year, motorists ages 15–29 account for 45 percent of all unbelted deaths, yet this group represents only 25 percent of licensed drivers. This same age group accounts for 70 percent of all unbelted serious injuries in Greater Minnesota.
During 2006–2008 in Yellow Medicine County, 6 motorists were killed and 3 were not belted. Another 3 unbelted motorists were seriously injured.
The Click It or Ticket enforcement effort is a component of the state’s Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) initiative. TZD is a multi-agency approach to address traffic issues regionally through enforcement, education, engineering and emergency trauma care.
