CITATIONS PROMOTE USE OF SEAT BELTS

A week of increased traffic citations has prompted a few more Cape Girardeau drivers to use their seat belts -- or else.

Observations at Mount Auburn and Independence showed seat belt use increased from 67 percent to 71.5 percent from Sept. 13-20, Cpl. Kevin Orr said.

The difference was made by the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program, he said. As part of a statewide $200,000 grant from the Missouri Division of Highway Safety, Cape Girard-eau received $1,000 to pay for up to 60 hours of traffic enforcement to make drivers more aware they should buckle up and to survey whether they do.

Orr said 96 traffic tickets were written from Sept. 14-19.

A 70 percent use of seat belts has been typical for Cape Girardeau over the years.

"But we would like to see that higher," Orr said.

The risk of being killed or injured in a traffic accident are cut by up to 70 percent by wearing a seat belt, reports the Division of Highway Safety.

Last year in Missouri, 1,094 people were killed and 78,317 were injured in traffic crashes. Two-thirds of those killed were not wearing a safety device.

Cape Girardeau police have participated in two other seat belt programs. Make it Click is a grant-funded program that pays for additional enforcement for violations that lead to crashes. The Occupant Protection Usage Enforcement program runs from June through September and focuses on stopping aggressive drivers.