(Credit: New Britain Township Police)
Police are reminding motorists to buckle up and properly secure children as they prepare for a two-week occupant safety enforcement wave that started Sunday.
From Sunday through Sept. 27, officers with the New Britain Township Police Department will be on patrol looking specifically for drivers and passengers not wearing seatbelts, as well as children who are either unrestrained or improperly restrained in vehicles. The initiative is part of the nationwide “Click-It-or-Ticket” campaign.
“Occupant safety is important, and it’s the law,” the department said in its announcement.
Officers stressed that drivers are responsible not only for their own safety, but also for ensuring passengers and children are secured. Infants, toddlers, and young children must be placed in properly installed and adjusted car seats or booster seats appropriate to their age, height, and weight.
Police pointed residents to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Car Seat Finder Tool, which helps parents determine the correct type of seat for their child.
The department also reminded motor carrier and commercial drivers that federal law makes seatbelt use a primary offense for both drivers and passengers.
Police urged all motorists to take the message seriously: “If you plan to drive, wear your seatbelt. If you are driving with passengers, instruct them to wear their seatbelts. Buckle up and drive safely.”
