Traffic Enforcement: Police to Crack Down on Seat Belt Violations

Twenty-two people died in Prince William County last year as a result of car crashes, the Prince William County Police Department says. According to Drive Smart Virginia, 60 percent of victims in fatal crashes weren’t wearing seat belts.

In an effort to increase seat belt use in the Manassas area, Prince William County police will crack down on seat belt violations during the National Click It or Ticket campaign, Nov. 21 to Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27.

Police officers will patrol streets day and night during the campaign, and remain highly visible throughout the county.

In the state of Virginia:

• Everyone riding in the front seat, regardless of age, must wear a seat belt

• All children under the age of eight must ride in a secured safety seat that’s federally approved.
• Children between eight and 15 must use a safety seat, booster seat or seat belt no matter where in the vehicle the child is riding.
• It is the driver’s responsibility to make sure all children, age 15 and under, are properly secured.

Regular seat belt use saved an estimated 12,174 lives in 2012 according to the “Click It or Ticket” seat belt enforcement campaign and a seat belt can reduce the risk of fatal injury to front seat passengers up to 45 percent.

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