TRAFFIC: SEAT BELTS ARE THE FOCUS OF LOCAL HOLIDAY PATROLS

Reasons for not wearing seat belts vary, but Missouri Highway Patrol Capt. Chris Ricks said he hasn't heard a good one yet.

"Most often people say seat belts are uncomfortable," Ricks said. "I say try being in a casket or a body cast and see how uncomfortable that is."

Patrols of roadways in Missouri and Illinois have already increased in anticipation of Thanksgiving holiday travelers. Most law enforcement agencies are only giving tickets and citations rather than warnings to those who neglect to buckle up themselves and their children.

Cape Girardeau police will concentrate on high traffic intersections and areas, such as around West Park Mall, Sgt. Buddy Davis said.

An excuse Davis has often heard from drivers without seat belts is that they've just left from the store or home and didn't have time to buckle up.

This is the worst time for an accident, Davis said.

"You are prone to get into a wreck especially when you're initially pulling out into traffic," he said.

Illinois State Police will focus on drivers without seat belts and those who have been drinking. The state police is one of over 8,000 law enforcement agencies participating in Operation ABC Mobilization. "ABC" stands for "America Buckles Up Children."

Recent research from the Centers for Disease Control shows that most children under 14 who are killed in alcohol-related crashed are passengers of a drunk driver. This contradicts common perceptions of another drunk driver striking a car with children, said trooper Dale Poole of the Illinois State Police.

The Missouri Highway Patrol is not participating in Operation ABC, Ricks said, but enforcement against drunk drivers and aggressive driving will be strong. Only troopers already on extended leave or with illnesses will not be working over the holiday weekend.

Missouri laws require that any children under 4 years old must be in a child safety seat, and anyone 16 years old or younger must wear a seatbelt, Ricks said.

In Cape Girardeau, drivers are fined $46 for each toddler who isn't in a safety seat. Seatbelt fines are $10, Davis said.