Police give 45 tickets for safety belt violations

Police officers in Cape Girardeau issued 45 tickets to motorists driving without safety belts during the recent Click It or Ticket campaign between May 24 and June 6.

Officers also issued 150 tickets for speeding and 44 tickets for other traffic and moving violations, according to a police spokesman. In addition the department increased its enforcement of aggressive driving violations such as failure to yield and following too close.

In Missouri, officers cannot stop a vehicle for just a seat belt violation. They issue seat belt tickets in conjunction with another infraction. However, in Illinois, police can and do stop cars when they see the driver is not belted in. Officers in Missouri, however, are allowed by law to stop a car when they see a child is not in a proper restraint.

Funding for Click It or Ticket was provided through a grant from the Missouri Department of Transportation's Office of Highway Safety in cooperation with the National Highway Safety Administration and the Missouri Safety Center at Central Missouri State University. Its purpose is to increase the use of safety belts and child restraints.

Cape Girardeau police chief Steve Strong said he supports the statewide enforcement programs.

"Even as we enforce traffic laws, our officers are also trying to educate the public about the importance of safe and responsible driving," Strong said.