Fines Going Up In Tennessee for Seat Belt Violations
The cost of getting caught is going up, and there’s some pretty good evidence you’re risking your life for nothing.
COMMISSIONER BILL GIBBONS, TN. DEPT. OF SAFETY & HOMELAND SECURITY "We believe that seat belt enforcement must be a priority in our state. So far this year we’ve lost over 300 lives on our roadways because people choose not to wear seat belts…that’s 300 too many."
The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security is taking aim at seat-belt violations, and they have enlisted the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Tennessee Department of Transportation and the Governor’s Highway Safety Office as partners.
Despite years of effort to change peoples’ habits—the message is not getting through to some.
COMMISSIONER BILL GIBBONS "So far this year State troopers have issued over 107-thousand seat belt citations. That points out the importance to us in enforcing our seat belt laws in order to reduce the traffic fatality rate."
Effective January 1st, the fine for not using seat belts goes to 25 dollars for the first offense, and 50 dollars for second offense. It may not seem like much, but officials point-out there’s lost productivity and other expenses for those who are caught.
COL. TRACY TROTT, COMMANDER, TENNESSEE HIGHWAY PATROL "We would like to have a day when we don’t have to concentrate on seat-belt enforcement …that its so ingrained in our driving public that we don’t have to worry about it ..that’s when we’ll see the greatest benefit."
Here’s another stat worth knowing: there’s been a 255% increase in the number of citations for not using seat belts since 2010. And, drivers of pick-up trucks are the worse offenders.
Fair warning—the authorities are onto you.
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