The Lakewood Police Department has asked The Lakewood Scoop to release the following message.

Lakewood Township—Law enforcement officers from the Lakewood Police Department will be cracking down on unbuckled motorists and their passengers as part of the national “Click It or Ticket” campaign. Beginning May 18 and running through May 31, the annual initiative includes high visibility law enforcement seat belt checkpoints and saturation patrols, as well as local and national publicity designed to ensure that drivers and passengers recognize the life-saving value of seat belts. “using a seat belt is the simplest way for a motorist and his or her passengers to protect themselves when on the road,” said Pam Fischer, Director of the New Jersey Davison of Highway Traffic Safety. “Motor vehicle occupants who buckle-up are between 45 and 75 percent less likely to face life threatening injuries in a car crash.”Last year, the seat belt usage rate in New Jersey rose for the 12th consecutive year to 91.75%. Fischer noted that while seat belt usage rates continue to increase in New Jersey, law enforcement and safety officials will not rest until the state achieves a 100 percent compliance rate. “New Jersey has one of the strongest seat belt usage rates in the nation, but our work isn’t done,” Fischer added. “To meet our goal, we must continue to focus on enforcement and public outreach efforts to educate motorist and their passengers about the critical importance of buckling up, every ride.” During the 2008 “Click it or Ticket” campaign, 473 police agencies participated in the two week initiative. As a result of the effort, law enforcement officers issued 46,026 seat belt citations, 6,831 speeding summons and made 642 drunk driving arrests. “We are committed to the “Click It or Ticket” strategy,” said Tom Louizou, Regional Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “Tickets are a strong deterrent and the results are meaningful: few deaths on our roads.”