75 cited for not using seat belts

Published 9:00 am Sunday, June 7, 2015

Albert Lea police and Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office deputies cited 75 people for failing to use their seat belts during an increased seat belt enforcement in May.

The enforcement, part of the Toward Zero Deaths campaign, ran from May 18 to 31.

The campaign utilized public awareness and education along with enforcement.

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In addition to regular duty patrols, law enforcement had high visibility patrols and placed signs about the campaign around town. The extra patrols and signs were funded by the Office of Traffic Safety and Toward Zero Deaths campaign.

Emergency responders also handed out Buckle Up wristbands at Albert Lea High School to raise awareness, and the city of Albert Lea’s Facebook and Twitter accounts were used to spread the message.

In addition to the seat belt citations, there were the following citations and arrests:

• Four child restraint violations

• 33 citations for driving with no license or a revoked, suspended or canceled license

• 22 cited for speed

• One arrest for impaired driving

• Three arrests for felony drug offenses

• One domestic abuse no contact order violation

• Several warrant arrests

The Toward Zero Deaths initiative aims to create a safe driving culture in which motorists support a goal of zero road fatalities by practicing and promoting safe and smart driving behavior, according to a news release.

It focuses on four strategic areas to reduce crashes: education, enforcement, engineering and emergency trauma response.