SHARE

Darien Police Step Up Seatbelt Enforcement

DARIEN, CONN. -- Buckle up! The life you save may be yours, or your child’s, say Darien police, who will be joining hundreds of other law enforcement agencies for this year’s “Click It or Ticket” campaign.

Darien Police Chief Duane Lovello's staff will be joining hundreds of other police officers in enforcing the "Click it or Ticket" campaign. Folks who fail to use seat belts not only risk serious injury and death, but hefty fines if they get caught.

Darien Police Chief Duane Lovello's staff will be joining hundreds of other police officers in enforcing the "Click it or Ticket" campaign. Folks who fail to use seat belts not only risk serious injury and death, but hefty fines if they get caught.

Photo Credit: File

The seat belt enforcement wave will take place from Monday, Nov. 23, through Monday, Nov. 30, police said.

The current fine for adults who are not wearing a seat belt is $92.

All front seat passengers are required to wear seat belts while traveling, police said.

However, they said, passengers over 18 years old, who are sitting in the rear seat of a vehicle, are not required to wear a seat belt unless the operator is under 18 years old.

All passengers under 18 years old are required to wear seat belts, even those who are sitting in the rear seat of a vehicle, police said.

The current seat belt fine for people between 16 and 18 is $120.

Police emphasized that the top cause of death for children and teens in the United States is traffic crashes.

Connecticut state law also requires that children less than a year old and weighing less than 20 pounds must be secured in a rear facing child safety seat. Violations of this law carries a $92 fine, police said.

Passengers over a year old but less than 7 years old, and who weigh less than 60 pounds must be secured in a child safety seat or booster seat. Violating this law also carries a $92 fine.

Once a child is over 7 years old and weighs more 60 pounds, that child can be seat-belted in a regular passenger seat, police said.

According to police, statistics show an average of one fatality every 14 minutes and one injury every 13 seconds due to car crashes in this country.

Statistics also show, they said, that vehicle passengers have a 77 percent chance of escaping death in a car crash if they are properly seat-belted.

The current seat belt usage rate in Connecticut is 88 percent, police said, compared to the national average of 84 percent.

For other statistics about safety and seat belt use, click here.

to follow Daily Voice Darien and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE