Millburn PD Cracks Down on Seat-Belt Violations

Millburn Police along with law enforcement throughout Essex County will be cracking down on unbuckled drivers from now until June 2 as part of 2013 Click It or Ticket seat-belt campaign.

During this two-week period police will set up seat-belt check points and increase patrols with a zero-tolerance enforcement policy.

"Our goal is the safety of the driving public," Capt. Michael Palardy, of the Millburn police, said. "It's not because we want to hurt the public but we want to protect them." 

Palardy added, although the main focus for police is seat-belts the department will also locally concentrate on drivers on their cell phones during the campaign.

Throughout the county, the law enforcement will focus on rear-seat passengers, which only 36 percent of adults in the rear-seat where their seat-belts, according to New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety.

Essex County College Police Academy Community Traffic Safety Program is coordinating the effort with funding from the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety. 

Millburn PD received a $4,000 Click It or Ticket Mobilization Grant from the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety to take part in the campaign.

In the 2012 Click It or Ticket campaign, Millburn police issued 156 summoneses for seat-belt violations, according to New Jersey's Department of Law and Public Safety. 

The department also arrested: three on DWI charges, two on felonies charges, nine on outstanding warrants. 

Additionally, it retrieved one stolen vehicle, issued tickets for six drivers with suspended licensees, one without insurance and 33 other violations.

“Using a seat belt is the simplest way for a driver and his or her passengers to protect themselves when traveling,” Acting Director of the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety. Gary Poedubicky, said. "In 2010 alone, seat belts saved an estimated 12,546 lives nationwide.” 

Throughout Essex, 21 of 25 law enforcement agencies participated in last year’s “Click It or Ticket” Campaign issuing 1,600 seat belt summonses.

Additionally, there were 33 DWI arrests, 47 summonses issued for not securing a child in a child safety seat, 26 Felony Arrests, 15 stolen vehicles recovered, 54 fugitives apprehended, 166 suspended license summonses issued, 32 uninsured drivers sited, 206 speeding tickets issued, 6 reckless driver summonses, 31 drug arrests and 2,735 other motor vehicle violation summonses.