Click it or ticket
Cape Coral police and other agencies are on the lookout for those not wearing their seat belts.
This week, the Cape Coral Police Department kicked off its Click It or Ticket campaign, which runs until June 5. The national effort aims to increase seat belt usage to prevent injuries and save lives.
“It’s an awareness campaign to get people to wear their seat belts, so they’re safe as they travel throughout the city and nation,” Sgt. Jon Kulko, with the CCPD’s Traffic Unit, said.
“We’re just trying to make things safe in the city,” he added.
Officers will be stationed at various points throughout the Cape to identify violators.
“We’re going to be actively looking for people without seat belts,” Kulko said.
Officers will be handing out citations for the primary offense, which comes with a $113 ticket.
However, there are no points placed on a driver’s license for the violation.
“It’s not a moving violation,” he said.
Passengers must also be properly restrained.
“Seat belts work in conjunction with the rest of the safety equipment in your car,” Kulko said. “It prevents a lot of injuries and even death.”
Along with enforcement, the CCPD will post safety messages using social message.
“Information to let people know this is what we’re going and why we’re doing it,” he said.
The Click It or Ticket campaign usually takes place around long holidays.
“It happens two or three times throughout the year,” Kulko said. “When there’s more traffic on the roadways.”
Campaign after campaign, officers are seeing a trend among Cape drivers.
“Compliance is up,” he said. “Every year, it gets better and better.”
Officials reported that 100 percent voluntary compliance from motorists is the goal.
“The Click It or Ticket campaign helps raise awareness to get drivers in the habit of bucking up, as well as their passengers,” Sgt. Dana Coston, spokesman for the Cape police, said. “Seat belts save lives.”