London Police Service has designated April as having the “traffic safety theme” of seatbelt compliance. In addition to their regular efforts officers have been asked to pay specific attention to motorists and passengers who aren’t wearing seatbelts. This effort coincides with the provincial announcement of the Ontario Spring Seatbelt Campaign.
Starting Friday April 16th and running through the end of the month efforts to increase the compliance of the seatbelt law will take place. Mandatory seatbelt use in Ontario started in 1976 and despite nearly 35 years of media coverage and educational efforts some people still refuse to buckle up.
Studies have shown that Londoners have a compliance rate of nearly 95% but with hundreds of thousands of vehicles on our roads, 5% is still a substantial number who don’t. Compliance in the rural areas remains in the 85% area and needs improvement. Seatbelts save lives and seatbelt tickets cost money. Pick whichever reason that gets you to wear it. A seatbelt ticket will now cost you $240 and 2 demerit points if you’re the driver.“Click’it or Ticket” gets the point across.Sgt Tom O’Brien
