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Released: 5/17/2006
DRPA/PATCO to Participate in “Click It or Ticket” Mobilization
From May 22 though June 4, the Delaware River Port Authority's Public Safety Department will join more than 12,000 law enforcement officers and highway safety officials for an aggressive national “Click It or Ticket” mobilization to enforce New Jersey's Primary Seat Belt Law. Nearly one in five Americans (or 18 percent nationally) still fail to regularly wear their safety belts when driving or riding in a motor vehicle, according to a new report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In New Jersey, the goal of the program is to increase the regional safety belt usage rate of 86 percent, which is the current state average. The latest survey results have shown that the Southern Counties display a lower compliance rate than the rest of the state. It is our intent to improve this rate by implementing this program. Safety belt use is especially important for young adults. A recent study by NHTSA showed that among those least likely to buckle up: young males, pickup truck drivers and their passengers, people who live in rural areas, and night-time drivers. The study also found that, 31,693 passenger vehicle occupants died in traffic crashes during 2004 - and 55 percent of those killed were NOT wearing their safety belts at the time of the crash. During the mobilization period from May 22 through June 4, local, county, and state police agencies will conduct a zero tolerance safety belt enforcement campaign. DRPA officers will patrol areas including and surrounding the bridges and PATCO High Speed Line. Motorists who are not buckled up will be issued a ticket. In addition, concerted efforts are going on locally and statewide to raise awareness about the importance and life-saving benefits of safety belts. The Delaware River Port Authority is a regional transportation and development agency. DRPA owns and operates the Benjamin Franklin, Walt Whitman, Commodore Barry and Betsy Ross bridges, and the PATCO High Speed Line, the AmeriPort Intermodal Rail Center, the Philadelphia Cruise Terminal at Pier 1 and the RiverLink Ferry.[ Return to List ]