The Cape Coral Police Department is participating in the national Click It or Ticket seatbelt enforcement campaign, which began May 18 and continues through May 31. Cape Police are joining other state and local law enforcement and highway safety agencies to enforce the use of seatbelts while driving.
The good news is that the number of motorists buckling up during the past several years is increasing. The use of seatbelts can be credited with saving more than 15,000 lives in 2007. Thanks in part to high-visibility enforcement campaigns like Click It or Ticket, national seatbelt usage has increased to 83 percent in 2008 – a 25 percent increase during the past 14 years. However, in our community, we still have 30 percent of drivers not wearing seatbelts.
Here are some recent statistics regarding highway safety:
In 2007, there were 41,059 people killed on America’s roadways.
More than 14,000 vehicle occupants who died were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash.
In 2007, nearly 2.5 million people were injured in crashes.
Motor vehicle crashes cost the U.S. economy an estimated $230.6 billion every single year.
“There have been many times we have responded to a serious traffic crash and found that had the victim been wearing a seatbelt, their life might have been saved or their injuries lessened,” said Police Chief Rob Petrovich in a prepared statement. “People who choose to disobey the law by not wearing their seatbelts need to realize that not only are they taking a chance with their lives but they are risking the lives of others.”
In Florida, a new law passed this session and signed by Gov. Charlie Crist will permit law enforcement officers to stop any vehicle if the occupants are not wearing seatbelts. The new law becomes effective on June 30, and the fine for the non-moving violation could cost $94.

Source: Cape Coral Police Department