NJ L&PS: Division of Highway Traffic Safety: Press Release

Zulima V. Farber, Attorney General Division of Highway Traffic Safety Roberto Rodriguez, Director
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 22, 2006	FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Wald (LPS) 609-292-4791 Robert Gaydosh (DHTS) 609-610-2764
Bergen County Police Establish Key Checkpoint on the First Day of the ‘CLICK IT OR TICKET’ Mobilization

(Fort Lee) - Motorists approaching the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee this morning probably had a normal commute, if they were wearing their seat belts. For those who were not, it was a different story. Bergen County Police set up a seat belt checkpoint from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. at the Route 46 East ramp leading to I-95 North. Police were enforcing New Jersey’s primary seat belt law on the first day of the national Click It or Ticket mobilization. The high visibility seatbelt checkpoint demonstrated law enforcement’s zero tolerance toward those violators who still refuse to buckle up.
“86% of New Jersey motorists use their seat belts and comply with the law” said Division Director Roberto Rodriguez. “The ‘Click It or Ticket’ mobilization addresses the 14% who fail to buckle up. Police would rather write a thousand tickets than have to knock on one family’s door with news that a loved one didn’t survive a crash because they weren’t wearing their seat belt.” The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says seat belt use reduces fatalities by 45%, and reduces the risk of moderate to critical injury by 50%. The Garden State has one of the highest seat belt use percentages in the nation, and seeks to make that number even higher in the quest to reduce crash-related fatalities and injuries. Seat belts offer the best protection in a crash and, it’s the law in New Jersey. The ‘Click It or Ticket’ mobilization will run through June 4th,
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