More Bloomington drivers buckle up

Not willing to risk a ticket or their lives, more Bloomington drivers are buckling up this year. \nSeat belt usage rates in the city average 89 to 90 percent, which is above the state record high of 87.9 percent, said Bloomington Police Department Sgt. Faron Lake.\nJuly 1 marked the inception of an Indiana state law that requires all passengers in a car or truck that came equipped with seat belts to use them. It also prohibits any person from sitting in the back of a pickup truck. Prior to July 1, the law only required passengers in the front seat to wear seat belts and exempted passengers in pickup trucks.\nGovernor Mitch Daniels issued a zero-tolerance policy regarding violators, Lake said. Officers must write a citation for seat belt violations and warnings are no longer permitted.\n“Citizens of Bloomington are very aware that we have strict enforcement,” Lake said.\nSince October 2006, $27,500 has been spent on enforcing the seat belt law in Bloomington, Lake said. The funds come from a state grant, not out of the taxpayers’ pockets, he said.\nMost of the money has gone to pay the police officers who participate in monthly programs sponsored by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, where they are paid to work overtime. Funds also go toward media promotions, Lake said.\nState studies show that the number of personal injury accidents went down 10 percent from 2005 to 2006, as the seat belt usage rate went up, Lake said.\nBPD records show that seat belt usage rates in the city rose from 79.6 percent in 2005, to 84.6 percent in 2006.\n“There is certainly 85 percent compliance or greater on campus,” IU Police Department Lt. Thomas Lee said.\nAlthough offenses persist, most college students have no problem complying with the law, because they have been wearing seat belts since they were young, Lee said. However, IUPD does not keep official records on seat belt usage rates among students, he said.\n“I think a seat belt is very important,” freshman Andrew Emmert said. “There are a lot of people that are naive and think seat belts can cause harm, but the reality is that with all the kinetic energy, you can be thrown out the windshield or hit your head on the dashboard.”\nIUPD officers report that in the accidents they have seen, seat belt use has prevented more injuries than the use has caused, Lee said. \nTo crack down on the law, IUPD works closely with BPD and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department, Lake said. \nIn the past, IUPD has received federal grants and participated in ICJI programs. This year IUPD did not receive federal funds, Lee said, but continued to enforce the law through Operation Pullover, a national effort to get people to buckle up and to stop drunk driving. \nThe national “Click It or Ticket” campaign is still being enforced state-wide, and highway safety plans are being administered, said Mike Cunegin, executive director of the ICJI. Putting law enforcement officials on the road in mass numbers around the holidays is one way Indiana is trying to increase seat belt usage rates. It takes time and an educational component, Cunegin said, but he is hopeful that Indiana usage rates will reach 90 percent soon.\n“We’re all about saving the lives of young people,” Cunegin said.