Police apprehend 64 motorists

photo courtesy of the Plainville Police Department

Officers stop traffic during the May 17 checkpoint on West Main Street.

The Plainville Police Department is joining law enforcement agencies across the country in renewing a pledge to save lives by intensifying efforts to enforce seat belt laws, according to Plainville Police Sgt. Charles Smedick.

In 2006, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 15,046 passenger vehicle occupants were killed between the nighttime hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Nearly two-thirds, 64 percent, of those killed at night were not wearing seat belts. Young people 16 to 24-years-old had the lowest observed seat belt usage rate of any other group in 2006.

The Plainville Police will be conducting seat belt checkpoints on all three shifts at various locations throughout town. The force will also be joining Southington and Farmington police, conducting checkpoints in a regional effort to have people buckle up.

In the first 24 hours of the campaign, 64 motorists were cited for failure to wear a seat belt, which carries a $37 fine. In addition, three motorists were charged with operating unregistered motor vehicles. The first checkpoint was conducted May 17.

The Click It or Ticket campaign continues through June 1.