Fines prompt more drivers, front-seat passengers to buckle up, CHP says
The prospect of getting slapped with a $142 ticket that can double with the second offense has led to more people buckling up behind the wheel, according to the California Highway Patrol.
"Seat belt usage is up due to the 'Click It or Ticket' campaign," CHP Officer Chris Parker said.
But LeaseTrader.com, a consumer review, advocacy and car leasing website, has found during a recent study that some people are still not wearing seat belts, particularly if they sit in the back seat.
The poll found about 80 percent of survey respondents admit they do not wear restraints when they're backseat passengers.
California does not have a specific backseat law, but does require all passengers to buckle up, Parker said.
The CHP campaign to issue tickets to drivers and passengers not wearing their seat belts has been successful, Parker said.
Not all 2010 data is available, but the agency issued 54 tickets in Solano County during December to drivers not wearing their seat belts, Parker said.
No specific comparison data was available, but Parker said the campaign has been successful primarily due to the high fines imposed on seat belt offenders.
Fines recently rose from $132 to $142 to first-time offenders in one year. The fine for a second offense is $250 or more if the driver receives a second ticket within a few years of the first one, Parker said.
"The second one will absolutely be astronomical," he said.
In trying to gauge how well backseat
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