Sgt. Dennis Petracca of the Sheriff's Traffic Division hold a safety seat belt.

It’s official and if you don’t obey this new law, you can find yourself charged with a fine of $94. The new law, which went into effect on the last day of June, requires all motorists and their passengers – those on the front seat – to wear their safety-seat belts.

Before the new law was signed by Gov. Charlie Crist, police could not stop a motorists for not wearing seat belts. The police had to stop someone for a violation of another traffic law and if the driver was not wearing seat belts, he could be charged.

“Police are trying to see to it that the public is educated about the new law,” said Sgt. Dennis Petracca, who has been with he Lee county Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit for 14 years.

There are about 23 members of the Sheriff’s traffic unit and Petracca said each officer was responsible for making such charges.

“As for now, we’re trying to let people know that it is against the law if they are stopped and not wearing their safety seat belts. I would guess that we would take around 30 days in hoping the word gets out because after that, deputies and members of the Florida Highway Patrol, the Cape Coral Police and the Fort Myers Police Department will do their jobs.

“It’s an effort to save lives,” Petracca said. “I have seen some terrible accidents in which people may have survived, but they didn’t because their bodies were thrusts through the windshield or thrown out the vehicle by the doors,” he said.

He explained that the law requires all passengers in the front seat be buckled up and those under 18 in the back seat must also be buckled up. He noted that some vehicles, such as some pickups, have room for three passengers on the front seat.

“That means that all three must have their safety seat belts on,” he said.

He said that in is own instance, he feels “something is wrong” if he gets in and doesn’t buckle up.

“It becomes a habit and I buckle up before I start the car,” he said.

Petracca is the father of three children and also noted how important it is for parents to keep their small children in a car seat in the back, properly installed and buckled up. That law has not changed, he said.

He went on to say that the charge carries no points on a motorist’s record. But he stressed that the fine is hefty and it is smart to not forget what the law requires.

“We have seen more people wearing their seat belts over the past few weeks now. We want to see everyone buckled up. It will save lives,” he said.

Petracca said the recent publicity campaigns “click it or ticket” hopefully have led people to understand how important the new law is and how police will be enforcing it.

He also said the fines are different in the 67 counties of the state.

“But here in Lee County, it’s $94 and that’s a big fine and it can be prevented by remembering to buckle up before you move your vehicle,” he said.

He said officials know that more people are choosing to buckle up because each stop made by a law enforcement officer is documented whether or not he or she was wearing a seat belt.

His wife is also an employee of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

He emphasized that that local law enforcement are not trying to make motorists angry, but instead to educate them about the importance of seat belts.

“It’s always been the law to wear them, but of course, we could not stop someone just for that offense. Now with the new law, we will stop people when we observe non compliance of the new law” he said.