Franklin Lakes PD announces Click It or Ticket Campaign

 Officers from the are working to keep Franklin Lakes a safer place as the department will take part in the state of New Jersey’s “Click It or Ticket” campaign which runs from May 23 to June 5.

“The annual initiative includes high visibility law enforcement seat belt checkpoints and saturation patrols, as well as local and national publicity designed to ensure that drivers and passengers recognize the life-saving value of seat belts,” said Patrolman Robert Lyon, of the department’s traffic bureau.

In 2010, the department was awarded “approximately $15,000 in state traffic enforcement grant money was awarded to the Department for DWI, seat belt, and aggressive driving patrols.”

Gary Poedubicky, Acting Director of the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, said using a “seat belt is the simplest way for a motorist and his or her passengers to protect themselves when traveling.”

“Motor vehicle occupants who buckle-up increase their chances of surviving a crash by as much as 75 percent,” said Poedubicky.

It was explained that in 2010 “the front seat belt usage rate in New Jersey rose for the 14th consecutive year to 93.73 percent.”

Poedubicky noted that while front seat belt usage rates continue to increase in New Jersey, law enforcement and safety officials want to ultimately see a 100 percent compliance rate.

“New Jersey has a strong front seat belt usage rate, but there is still work to do,” he said.  “To meet our goal, we must continue both enforcement and public outreach efforts that educate all motor vehicle occupants about the importance of buckling up, every ride.”

Poedubicky added that for the campaign will also focus on rear passengers as well.  New legislation requiring adult rear seat passengers to buckle up became law last year.  Currently, adult back seat belt use stands at 27 percent.

In 2010, the Franklin Lakes participated with 406 police agencies “in the two-week initiative.”

The campaign resulted in 35,671 seat belt citations issued, 5,832 speeding summonses given out and 592 drunk-driving arrests made.