Better buckle up this weekend

Published 12:00 am Saturday, May 25, 2002

Starting this Memorial Weekend, area residents would be wise to make sure to fasten seat belts before hitting the road.

The Freeborn County Sheriff’s Deputies will be keeping their eyes open for unbuckled drivers and vehicle occupants through June 2.

The special enforcement period is a part of statewide campaign organized by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. More than 350 agencies are participating the campaign.

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According to Deputy Bob Kindler, the rate of seat belt usage in Minnesota currently stands at 74 percent, but the rate is lower than the average in rural areas like Freeborn County.

According to accident reports, there were six crash-related fatalities in Freeborn County last year. Four of those victims were either unrestrained or their seat belt use could not be determined.