Bay Area Police Crack Down On Seat Belt Scofflaws
SAN JOSE (KCBS) - Law enforcement agencies throughout the Bay Area, including the California Highway Patrol, are launching a two-week "Click It or Ticket" campaign.
While California's seat belt law went into effect 24 years ago, San Jose Police spokesperson Jose Garcia said some drivers still aren't complying with the law.
"When we're on patrol, we see it everyday. A lot of drivers and motorists are not wearing their seat belt," he said. "Being on the street on patrol, we see a high incidence of drivers who are not restrained. Whether it's a habit that they've never gotten into buckling up or if they refuse to do it intentionally, we want to make sure that everyone wears their seat belt."
KCBS' Mike Colgan Reports:
Garcia said it is not an accident that they picked this time of year to launch the zero-tolerance campaign.
"History has told us that during the holiday season, people partake in festivities," Garcia said. "There are individuals who will decide to get behind the steering wheel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs."
While the campaign is primarily a crackdown on non-seat belt use, Garcia said officers will also be citing people they see who are texting while driving or not using a hands-free phone device.
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