The National Highway Safety Administration is holding its Click it or Ticket Border to Border seat belt Enforcement Blitz. Police from Delaware are teaming up with law enforcement from New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland for the effort that runs from 6 to 10 pm Monday evening.
NHSA regional administrator Elizabeth Baker says the blitz is being done later in the day because that when the danger associated with not buckling up increases.
"There's a greater involvement of alcohol, of speeding, driving under the influence of drugs, distracted driving," said Baker. "We just tend to see a lot more risky drivers out at night and that's when we see the lowest seat belt use in fatal crashes."
The goal is to send a zero-tolerance message to motorists: anyone caught riding in a vehicle without using a seat belt will result in the driver being ticketed. Part of a two week enforcement push by state and local police in the First State, the stepped-up enforcement will run until June 1.
Colonel Richard Arroyo of the Delaware River and Bay Authority says the initial multi-state approach aims to get people’s attention - especially young adults, pick-up truck drivers and men - who make up the majority of unrestrained deaths.
“People think that they are invincible." Aroyo said. "Statistically you’re better off with the seat belt. People have come up with all kinds of wives’ tales why they shouldn’t wear them. The statistics don’t lie: wearing seat belts do save lives.”
Chris Weersing - who was seriously injured while not properly restrained in a 2005 accident - agrees with Col. Arroyo's assesment. His passenger remained relatively unharmed during the same accident thanks to the use of a seat belt, and now Weersing tours the area talking to young people about the benefits of buckling up.
"The biggest thought is 'It's never going to happen to me; it always happens to somebody else,'" he said. "Now when I introduce myself I say 'Who's it always happen to? Somebody else.' and I tell them 'Good morning everyone. My name is somebody else. You're all somebody else to me, you're all somebody else to somebody else.'"
The beefed up enforcement effort comes after fatalities for unrestrained passengers rose for the first time in five years. In 2012, just over 10,300 unbuckled passengers died in crashes. In 2013, 47% of crash fatalities weren’t properly restrained.
Delaware law requires drivers and all passengers to buckle up. Seat belt use in Delaware stands at 92% - six points higher than the national average (86%).
Additional Facts (source: Office of Highway Safety)
• Delaware participating law enforcement agencies include Delaware State Police, Delaware River & Bay Authority, and Selbyville PD. Selbyville PD will be working with Worchester County Sheriff’s department on their shared border.
• Delaware seat belt use rate is 92% compared to the national use rate of 86%.
• Delaware has a primary seat belt law that requires drivers and all passengers, including those in the back seat, to wear a seat belt. An officer can pull over a driver if he sees any person in the vehicle not wearing a seat belt, even if there is no other violation. The ticket, which goes to the driver no matter who is unbuckled in the vehicle, totals $83.50.
• In 2013, 47% of people killed in crashes on Delaware roadways were unrestrained.
• Most unrestrained crashes occur March through May in Delaware.
• In Delaware, 24% of unrestrained crashes happen between 3pm and 7 pm and Saturday and Sunday have the highest number of unrestrained crashes.
• Males make up 61% of people involved in unrestrained crashes in Delaware.
• The greatest number of unrestrained individuals in crashes in Delaware are between the ages of 20-24 years old.