UWPD focuses on seatbelt laws for holiday

As Thanksgiving weekend approaches, the UWPD prepares for the barrage of holiday travelers by joining a nationwide crackdown on students driving without wearing their seatbelts. Operation ABC Mobilization works in conjunction with the nationwide Click It or Ticket program instituted last year.

Patrolling officers have been instructed to pay careful attention to seatbelt usage as well as driving habits during Operation ABC Mobilization. The heightened enforcement program began Nov. 18 and will continue through Dec. 2.

"We want everyone to be as safe as possible, so we emphasize (the use of) seatbelts during the holiday seasons," said UWPD Assistant Chief Annette Spicuzza. She went on to add that drunk drivers are a primary concern for police officers monitoring the roads during holidays.

Spicuzza cites "diligence and vigilance" as the main resource police officers draw from to catch drivers violating the seatbelt laws.

"It's something you have to watch for, and the officers are being instructed to really keep their eyes open," she said.

Driving without a seatbelt is cause for being pulled over, Spicuzza said, and that's what UW police are on the lookout for. Neglecting one's seatbelt when driving is a primary violation, and usually results in a fine.

"I'd like to think that everyone's pretty law-abiding and know what they need to stay safe, even if they're just going to be on campus and driving," Spicuzza said.

Statistics from past years indicate that as many as 8,000 people nationwide will die in automobile accidents this year for neglecting to fasten their seatbelts. Men from the ages of 18-35 run the greatest risk.

Although the crackdown is only instituted for a short time on the UW campus, 12,000 law-enforcement agencies around the country participate in the ongoing Click It or Ticket program. Signs posted on freeways warn drivers to buckle up and save themselves the $86 fine.

"It helps to keep our community safe," Spicuzza said of the measures taken by the UWPD. Traffic-conscious UW students should buckle up to avoid the hefty fines.