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Enforcement focuses on seatbelt use

Wearing a seatbelt increases the odds of surviving a crash by nearly 60%, but in Idaho an estimated one out of every five people doesn’t buckle up. Idaho police officers are working to improve that number and their efforts are getting national attention.

The Pocatello and Twin Falls Police Departments are working on a project with the Office of Highway Safety (OHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to improve seatbelt usage in states that don’t have a primary seatbelt law.

“We can do better when it comes to seatbelt usage,” said OHS Manager John Tomlinson. “What we’re trying to do is give these officers the tools they need to help make their communities safer, and hopefully their work will help save lives around the country.”

In this program, NHTSA will provide participating agencies with funding for high-visibility enforcement efforts to educate motorists about the importance of buckling up. Officers are encouraged to give drivers a break on the primary violation but issue a citation for the seatbelt.

This approach to encouraging seatbelt use originated in Boise when the Boise Police Department began using two officers at a time to issue seatbelt citations. The first officer focued on primary infractions, while the second officer watched for a seatbelt violation.

“We felt this was a great approach for both officer safety and accuracy in reporting,” Tomlinson said. “Statistics show people in the Boise Metro Area buckle up more than the state average.

In addition to the extra patrols, the participating agencies will also be allowed to use funding for publicity and outreach efforts with fewer restrictions on how the money can be used.

“These officers are our boots on the ground and they know their communities,” Tomlinson said. “We wanted to cut through the red tape and let them do what they feel is best for their neighbors and families. Hopefully these efforts translate to fewer deaths on roads — not only in Idaho, but across the country.”