Salem police ready to patrol for seatbelt violations, encourage use

[Silent_Bob]

http://www.unionleader.com/article/20150421/NEWS07/150429845/0

SALEM — With the unofficial Memorial Day start of summer just around the corner, Salem police are going to make sure everyone under 18 has their seatbelts clicked in place for the holiday weekend.

The police department recently received a grant from the state's highway safety agency to take part in the Join the NH Clique Seat Belt Campaign.

The $2,667 grant will pay for the overtime salary and benefits for six additional Salem police patrols over the weekends of May 21 to 23 and May 28 to 30. The patrols will be at locations throughout the town encouraging motorists and passengers to have their seatbelts on.

"We take two officers and we team them up together for six different shifts over a two- week period," said Captain Jim Chase. "We usually do Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m."

The locations for the program typically include the parking lot near the state line at the Pay Saver plaza, the Wal-Mart parking lot on North Broadway and near the Mall at Rockingham Park.

"We set up cones because we want to make it safe for everyone," Chase said. "We'll divert the (vehicles) into the cones, and we will talk to the operators there."

The state's seatbelt law, which requires passengers under 18 to wear the appropriate seat restraint, has been on the books since 2000. The Salem Police Department will be expected to make a report to the highway safety agency at the conclusion of the enforcement efforts paid for through the grant.

[WithoutAPaddle]

...Salem police are going to make sure everyone under 18 has their seatbelts clicked in place for the holiday weekend...

...The state's seatbelt law, which requires passengers under 18 to wear the appropriate seat restraint, has been on the books since 2000. The Salem Police Department will be expected to make a report to the highway safety agency at the conclusion of the enforcement efforts paid for through the grant.

Only under age 18?  You gotta be kidding!  You mean, they are going to have to card people, like they do for going into a bar?  What if someone is 18 or 19 but looks under 18 and doesn't have an ID?

Who gets ticketed for the violation?  The passenger?  The driver?  The vehicle owner for, "permitting the transportation of an unrestrained minor"?

FWIW, when I got on the Mass Pike a couple of months ago, the well connected toll booth attendant who HANDED me my toll fare ticket - something that I thought was done mechanically everywhere by now - told me to fasten my seat belt.   Telling me to do that was the only thing of value that he was doing.

[Tom Sawyer]

"After checking the documents of the occupants in our vehicle they allowed us to continue our travels."
"Gee whiz what's all the fuss, I mean if you have nothing to hide..."

"Freedom", Twenty-First Century style.

[Free libertarian]

I have a confession to make, I ran with scissors as a kid...and I didn't die a horrible death.   

[WithoutAPaddle]

I did that thing that makes you go blind.

[Becky Thatcher]

I did that thing that makes you go blind.

Tom did that too...but only until he had to wear glasses.