Unbelted motorists account for nearly half of Minnesota’s traffic deaths each year. To counter this trend and stop preventable deaths and injuries, Albert Lea police officers and Freeborn County deputies will conduct enhanced seat belt patrols May 18 through 31 as part of a statewide Department of Public Safety Safe and Sober Click-It-or-Ticket enforcement effort. A seat belt citation is $25 but can cost as high as $115 with court and administrative fees.

According to Department of Public Safety preliminary data reports from 2006-2008 in Freeborn County, there were 15 motorists killed during the span, 8 of who were not wearing seat belts. Another nine unbelted motorists were seriously injured during this period.

Statewide over the past three years, preliminary data shows 1,096 motorists were killed in crashes — 518 were unbelted — and another 1,151 unbelted motorists were seriously injured.

“Increased seat belt patrols are essential to preventing needless tragedies,” Albert Lea Police Lt. J.D. Carlson said. “But enforcement can’t save lives alone — every motorist should insist their passengers buckle up to ensure a safe ride.”

A focus of the enforcement will be teens and young adults — the groups least likely to buckle up who are overrepresented in traffic deaths.

Statewide each year, motorists ages 15-29 account for 45 percent of all unbelted deaths, yet this group represents only 25 percent of all licensed drivers. Of these unbelted deaths, 80 percent occur in Greater Minnesota. This same age group accounts for 55 percent of all unbelted serious injuries — 70 percent occur in Greater Minnesota.

In April, an initial informal seat belt use survey was conducted near the Albert Lea High School campus observing 488 total occupants. Results indicated overall 75 percent of occupants were wearing seatbelts (78 percent of drivers and 68 percent of passengers were wearing seatbelts).

In May, an additional survey conducted by the Albert Lea Police Department observing 200 total occupants, at two heavily trafficked intersections within the city, resulted in 68 percent compliance.

The Albert Lea Police Department and Freeborn County Sherriff’s Office will also conduct special nighttime seat belt enforcement patrols during the effort. Department of Public Safety 2006 to 2008 preliminary data reports indicate there were 276 vehicle occupant traffic deaths during nighttime hours and 169 of the traffic crash victims — 61 percent — were not belted.

In a similar seat belt enforcement effort last May and October, the Albert Lea Police Department and Freeborn County Sherriff’s Office issued 35 seat belt citations.

Around 400 law enforcement agencies across Minnesota will participate in the enforcement effort coordinated by the Department of Public Safety as a component of the state’s Toward Zero Death initiative. Toward Zero Death is a multi-agency approach to address traffic issues regionally through enforcement, education, engineering and emergency trauma care.