Leader Staff
The Shawano Police Department is mobilizing, along with hundreds of other law enforcement agencies throughout Wisconsin, for the annual Click It or Ticket safety belt enforcement campaign that kicked off March 10 and runs through Sept. 30.
“Our officers are serious about safety belt enforcement. We see far too many drivers and passengers needlessly killed or injured because they were unbuckled in a crash,” Lt. Michael Musolff said.
“During the Click It or Ticket mobilization and throughout the year, we will stringently enforce Wisconsin’s safety belt law,” he said. “We’re not trying to write more tickets. Through enforcement and education, we’re striving to get people to buckle up every time they drive or ride in a vehicle.”
Although the state’s safety belt use rate of 85 percent is the highest ever, more than half of the drivers and passengers killed in Wisconsin traffic crashes last year were not wearing safety belts. In addition, last year there were more than 55,000 convictions for failure to fasten a seat belt.
“No matter if it’s day or night, or a short trip or a long journey, drivers and passengers must buckle up,” Musolff said. “Wearing a safety belt is the best possible protection against being ejected from a vehicle during a crash or thrown around violently inside it and possibly hitting another person in the vehicle with massive force. That’s why Click It or Ticket is more than a slogan to our officers. It’s a life-saving effort.”
Shawano Police Chief Mark Kohl said the department received grant money to supplement its efforts during peak traffic periods, allowing more officers to patrol the streets.
“Officers will have a zero tolerance when enforcing occupant safety restraint violations, which includes child restraints,” he said.