2,600 ticketed as non-bucklers

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

More than 2,600 seat-belt citations have been issued statewide since the start of the "Click It or Ticket" safety campaign, and police say they've noticed an increase in the use of seat belts.

The statistics are the first comprehensive tally since the seat-belt safety program started earlier this month.

On O'ahu, police issued 1,093 seat-belt citations and 34 citations for violations of child safety restraint requirements from May 20 to 24.

On the Big Island, police issued 652 seat-belt and child-restraint citations May 13-25. Kaua'i police issued 121 seat-belt citations and seven child-restraint citations May 20-24. On Maui, police issued 812 seat-belt citations and six child-restraint citations May 14-24.

The fine for a seat-belt violation is $67.

For drivers with children under 4 in the auto who are not strapped into a safety seat, the first-time offense means a $100 fine. The driver must also pay an additional $57 to attend a four-hour safety class.

"There seems to be a noted increase in usage of seat belts out there," said Maj. Robert Prasser of the Honolulu Police Department. "That's the goal."

No traffic-related fatalities have been reported on O'ahu since police started issuing seat-belt violations on May 20, said Sgt. Robert Lung.

Sgt. Mark Scribner of the Kaua'i Police Department said: "Just being on the road, you see a lot more people using their seat belts now. Just the other day, I drove from Kalaheo to Lihu'e, which is about 12 miles, and I saw one seat-belt violation, as opposed to six or seven a few weeks ago."

The county police departments have received federal grants totaling more than $250,000 for seat-belt safety enforcement.