Staff Reports

Chino– In an effort to save lives through increased seat belt use, Chino Police Department will participate in the national Click It or Ticket campaign. With Memorial Day Holiday being one of the busiest weekends to travel, the educational enforcement period was held between May 23^rd and June 5^th, 2016.

Chino Police Chief, Karen Comstock states, “Time after time, we see the deadly results that come from drivers and passengers refusing to wear a seat belt.” Comstock also states, “Wearing a seat belt is one of the most important steps in increasing survivability in a crash, our job is to stop those who are not buckled up, and to keep them from repeating this potentially deadly mistake.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released some research from 2014; nearly half of the 21,022 passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes nationally was unrestrained. In 2015, research showed that almost 50 percent of occupants of fatal crashes nationwide are not restrained. In other states, fatal crashes due to being unrestrained were at a high of 70 percent. Nationwide, law enforcement agencies are joining the Click It or Ticket campaign to emphasize “Coast to Coast” seat belt safety in all 50 states.

Recent facts highlight the need for increased education, awareness and enforcement, and awareness of seat belt use. Rhonda Craft, Director of the California Office of Traffic Safety, states “We want to make sure that people are buckling up to keep themselves and their families safe.”

For information on the Click It or Ticket campaign, you may visit www.nhtsa.gov/ciot. Additional information regarding traffic enforcement and education programs, you may contact the Traffic Services Unit at (909) 334-3073.