Law enforcement agencies in Chisago and Isanti Counties will join other Minnesota law enforcement agencies from May 23 to June 5 in the stateís largest seatbelt crackdown ever.

The Safe & Sober May Mobilization will be coordinated by the Department of Public Safety to boost Minnesotaís seat belt use rate and decrease traffic deaths and injuries. Participating agencies in the area include Minnesota State Patrol, Isanti Police Department, Cambridge Police, Braham Police, Wyoming Police and Lakes Area Police Departments. These agencies will add overtime patrols to make sure you have a safe summer.

Since 2002, statewide mobilizations have resulted in the issuance of nearly 29,000 seat belt tickets. While Minnesotaís seat belt rate is at an all-time high of 82 percent, preliminary statistics for 2004 indicate that 240 - more than half of the 462 vehicle occupant fatalities- were unbelted.

Contradicting common assumptions, nearly three-quarters of the stateís traffic deaths and one ñhalf of the serious injuries occurred on rural roads in 2004 ñ even though more than half the stateís population resides in the seven-county Twin Citiesí metro area. Last year, over half of the nearly 2,400 severe injury crashes occurred outside the metro area. Throughout May, special community outreach efforts and advertising has been directed toward greater Minnesota.

May is the On-ramp to the summer months, the deadliest period on the roads. Seat belt enforcement is important because it emphasizes safe driving habits at this critical and often deadly time. If you donít click your seat belt, you may hear a pen click to write a ticket. Safe & Sober is funded by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and is designed to reduce traffic deaths and serious injuries.

Top of Page

©ECM Post Review

6448 Main Street
North Branch, MN 55056
Telephone: 651-674-7025
Fax: 651-674-7026
E-mail: editor.postreview@ecm-inc.com