Nassau County, NY - May 20th, 2014 - Motorists who refuse to wear their seat belts-beware. The 2014 national Ticket seat belt enforcement mobilization kicked off on May 19th to help save lives by cracking down on those who don’t buckle up themselves or their children.

The Nassau County Police Department is joining with other county and state law enforcement officers across the country to help save more lives by strongly enforcing seat belt laws around the clock.

The law states that all front seat occupants regardless of age must wear their seat belts. The driver is responsible for all front seat passengers under age 16. In addition, all rear seat passengers under age 16 and all children under 8 years old must be restrained in a federally approved child safety seat or restraint system that meets the child’s height and weight recommendations according to the child restraint manufacturer.

“Too many drivers and passengers on the road at night are not wearing their seat belts, and it all too often ends in tragedy,” said County Executive Edward Mangano. “Our goal is to save more lives, Nassau County Police along with the New York State Police and 17 village and city police departments will be out enforcing seat belt laws around the clock.”

Seat belt use saves thousands of lives across America each year and Nassau County Traffic Safety was able to secure a grant from the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee to enhance enforcement efforts in Nassau County and save lives.

NHTSA statistics show that in 2010 alone, seat belts saved an estimated 12,546 lives nationwide.

“Unfortunately motorists need a tough reminder to wear their seat belts,” Mangano said.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2011, of the 21,253 passenger vehicle occupants who were killed in motor vehicle crashes nationwide, 52 percent were NOT wearing seat belts at the time of their fatal crashes.

The program will go through June 1st. In addition to the Nassau County Police Department, the following county police agencies will be participating:

• Centre Island
• Floral Park
• Freeport
• Garden City
• Glen Cove
• Great Neck Estates
• Hempstead
• Kensington
• Kings Point
• Lake Success
• Long Beach
• Lynbrook
• Malverne
• Old Westbury
• Oyster Bay Cove
• Port Washington
• Rockville Centre

For more information on the program, please contact Christopher Mistron, Nassau County Traffic Safety at (516) 571-6808.