Safety-belt crackdown gets under way

Police will be issuing two kinds of tickets during the next several weeks.
By SARAH WEBER
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- As part of a statewide initiative, police forces from Trumbull and Mahoning counties are cracking down on safety-belt usage through June 4.
Representatives from the Mahoning and Trumbull County Safe Communities programs and from the Operating a Vehicle Impaired Task Force kicked off the mobilization with a news conference Monday at the Chevrolet Centre.
The campaign is called "What's Holding You Back, Click It or Ticket."
Tracy Styka, the project coordinator for the Operating Vehicle Impaired Task Force and Safe Communities, said the safety-belt mobilization has been taking place for about four years with improvement each year.
"When we started it was 60 percent [usage], and there has been improvement each year," Styka said.
The statewide goal for belt usage has been set at 85 percent, a number Styka said Mahoning and Trumbull counties must work toward.
To increase safety-belt usage and awareness, checkpoints will be set up around the two counties intermittently for the next two weeks.
Various tickets
Through a program that was started last year, drivers who are found to be in compliance with safety-belt regulations at the checkpoints will receive a voucher that can be redeemed for Mahoning Valley Scrappers or Youngstown State University football tickets. Those who are not will receive a citation.
"They're going to be getting a ticket one way or another," said Susan Viars, coordinator of Mahoning County Safe Communities, "It will either be an expensive ticket or a fun ticket."
The Rev. Lewis W. Macklin II, pastor of Holy Trinity Missionary Baptist Church, Parkcliff Avenue, who is part of the African American Church Call to Buckle Up campaign, voiced his support for the initiative.
"We recognized as ministers and clergy that we have the ability to influence the lives of our congregations," the Rev. Mr. Macklin said. He said that he uses pulpit bulletins, church programs and other programs to remind his congregation to buckle up and be safe.
Though Mr. Macklin has been promoting safety-belt usage for several years, buckling up became relevant for his family one year ago. Less than 24 hours after Mr. Macklin made a pulpit announcement to remind his congregation to wear their seat belts, his children were involved in a car accident.
Everyone in the car was wearing a safety belt, and everyone came out of the crash alive.
"We want people to understand that it's a behavior, and it needs to be implemented constantly," Mr. Macklin said.
The safety-belt mobilization is being coordinated with the help of a $45,000 grant given to Safe Communities for safety-belt promotion and other projects related to driving safety.