Click it or ticket.
McMinnville Police Department issued 21 citations for not wearing a seatbelt over the Memorial Day weekend’s saturation patrols.
“People have got to get on board with wearing seatbelts,” said Lt. Mark Mara. “You have to make the decision you are going to drive safe, wear a seatbelt, and make sure everyone in the vehicle is wearing a seatbelt. It doesn’t matter what street you’re on. It doesn’t matter how far you’re driving. It doesn’t matter what you are doing. When you operate that motor vehicle, you have to have a seatbelt on. You also have to make sure all your passengers have their seatbelt on. We are only enforcing it to save lives.”
Of the 39 vehicles stopped, 21 seatbelt citations were issued.
“We have tried to educate, but people are not wearing their seatbelts,” said Mara. “They also are not understanding the shoulder harness is just as important. The shoulder harness is what keeps your head from going into the steering wheel. It has to be worn correctly. You have to use both the lap belt and the shoulder harness. You can still get a ticket if you don’t have the shoulder harness on. We try not to write a ticket on that because it’s such an easy fix, but you can still get a ticket.”
Cost of a seatbelt citation is $25.
In total, the department issued 26 citations that included 21 seatbelt, two reckless driving for distracted driving, and one for no insurance. Given were 18 warnings that included three for not properly wearing a seatbelt.
One DUI-related accident did occur. However, it did not take place during the weekend’s saturation patrols.
The next saturation patrol, said Mara, will most likely be the July Fourth holiday weekend.