Seat-Belt Ticket Patrols to Increase at Night
The Washington Traffic Safety Commission recently obtained a $600,000 federal grant, coupled with another $1.2 Million for police officers to cite drivers for seat belt violations at night, the Tacoma News Tribune reported. If we can't get money for bridges and roads, then at least the police can get money to issue drivers tickets.
Beginning this past Monday night, that means more police officers issuing seat belt citations to occupants of vehicles at night and more traffic stops. And what's more, some officers will be working in groups of 8! Yes, you could be pulled over by a SWAT team!
75 law enforcement agencies around the state will be taking part in targeting drivers and passengers so that the police can issue tickets. These agencies include, but are not limited to, police in Federal Way, Lakewood, and Puyallup.
What's important for drivers to remember is that unlike the cell-phone and text-messaging tickets that drivers will begin to receive in 2008 - which will be secondary offenses (see previous blog post) - a seat belt violation is considered a primary offense, so a law enforcement officer does not have to witness another violation in order to pull you over. Welcome to Washington, wear your seat belt.
