Remember to Buckle Up This Weekend

If you are visiting friends or relatives or taking a drive this Memorial Day weekend, remember to wear your seatbelt. The Suffolk County Police Department is participating in the Buckle Up New York-Click it or Ticket Campaign, funded through the New York State Governor's Traffic Safety Committee.

The campaign, which is currently underway and runs until June 6, seeks to increase compliance with seat belt and child safety seat laws designed to promote safety of those riding in motor vehicles. 

According to the Suffolk County Police Department, there will be a zero tolerance policy when it comes to wearing seat belts and having the required child safety seats. The police department said it will be enforcing seat belt and child safety laws by adding patrols and having checkpoints, according to the Suffolk Police Department.

In addition, there will be special attention to those offenses relating to aggressive and unsafe driving, such as tailgating, speeding, passing red lights, and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the police department stated. 

According to vehicle and traffic laws, all children under 4 must be restrained in a federally approved child safety seat or if a child's weight exceeds 40 pounds, in a child restraint system in conjunction with safety belts (the restraint system may be a safety seat or a booster seat used in combination with a lap and shoulder belt); Children ages 4 through 7 must be properly restrained in an appropriate child restraint system that meets the height and weight recommendations according to the manufacturer as the safety belt alone is not a child restraint system; all front seat occupants ages 8 and up must wear a seat belt; all rear seat passengers ages 8 through 15 must wear a seat belt; and the driver of the vehicle is responsible for passengers under age 16 that are found to be in violation of the law.

For a brochure on seat belt and child safety seat laws, visit www.safeny.com/media/belt-bro.htm.