Upper Allen Police Participate in Seatbelt Enforcement Initiative

The Upper Allen Township Police Department will be partnering with PennDOT and Buckle Up PA in a national “Click It or Ticket” seatbelt enforcement initiative from May 18, through May 31.

The effort will focus largely on nighttime enforcement, between the hours of 9:00 PM and 5:00 AM using traffic enforcement zones and roving patrols. Police will concentrate their efforts on roadways with high numbers of unbuckled crashes. Citations will be issued to motorists who are caught unbuckled or transporting unrestrained children.

According to PennDOT data there were 13,627 unrestrained crashes that resulted in 383 fatalities in 2014.

Motorists are reminded that Pennsylvania’s primary seat-belt law requires drivers and passengers under 18 years old to buckle up, and children under the age of four must be properly restrained in an approved child safety seat. Children ages 4 to 8 must be restrained in an appropriate booster seat. In addition, children ages 8 to 18 must be in a seat belt when riding anywhere in the vehicle.

Also, drivers and front-seat passengers 18 years-old or older are required to buckle up. If motorists are stopped for a traffic violation and are not wearing their seat belt, they can receive a second ticket and second fine.

Funding for this enforcement effort comes from part of PennDOT’s statewide distribution of $1.7 million in federal funds from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

For more information on seat belt safety, visit www.JustDrivePA.com