Leader Staff
Hundreds of law enforcement agencies in Wisconsin, including Shawano police, will be on the lookout for unbuckled drivers and passengers during the annual Click It or Ticket mobilization starting Monday.
The stepped-up enforcement effort runs through June 5.
“More officers will be on patrol for longer hours during the mobilization, and whenever they see an unbelted driver or passenger, they will stop the vehicle and issue a citation,” said David Pabst, director of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Safety.
“Their goal is not to write more tickets. They’re simply trying to get everyone to buckle up through effective enforcement and education,” he said.
The Shawano Police Department received two Bureau of Transportation grants for 2016, including $24,000 for Click It or Ticket enforcement.
In addition to the two-week Click It or Ticket mobilization, the funds also pay for enhanced seat belt and child safety seat enforcement that runs from March through September, according to Lt. Mike Musolff.
The department also received a $12,000 grant, primarily for speed enforcement that runs from April to September.
Musolff said both grants also include enforcement for operating while intoxicated and other violations.
The grants keep track of citations and warnings, he said.
Citations will be issued for seat belt violations.
“Please take an extra moment to put your seat belt on and make sure your kids are safely secured,” Musolff said. “Also please stop for pedestrians in crosswalks and keep your cell phones put away focusing on your driving.”
The Shawano County Sheriff’s Department also receives grant funding for enhanced enforcement efforts throughout the year.
In conjunction with stringent law enforcement efforts during Click It or Ticket, the Department of Transportation is using federal funding to broadcast TV, radio and web messages featuring Donald Driver, the Green Bay Packers’ all-time leading receiver.
In the TV spots, he surprises some unsuspecting Wisconsin drivers with questions about their seat belt use.
The DOT also will display reminders to buckle up on its electronic message signs on major highways.
According to DOT statistics, approximately 86 percent of Wisconsin motorists buckle up, which is an all-time high in the state. However, approximately half of the drivers and passengers killed in crashes last year in Wisconsin were not wearing a safety belt.
In 2015, there were nearly 55,000 convictions in Wisconsin for failure to fasten a safety belt, according to the DOT.