Peabody Police Cracking Down on Seat Belt Scofflaws

The Peabody Police Department joins the nationwide "Click it or Ticket" initiative again, starting Monday and lasting through Memorial Day weekend. So Chief Robert Champagne just urges everyone to buckle up -- it's for your own safety.

Peabody and other numerous other local departments are partnering with the state police and Executive Officer of Public Safety and Security's Highway Safety Division on the 2013 seat belt enforcement mobilization from May 20 to June 2 and will be cracking down on motorists who are not belted.

Police say that more than half of the 21,253 people killed in car crashes in 2011 were not wearing their belts, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

"As the busy summer driving season commences it’s important that everyone buckle up each time they go out, both day and night, as seat belts have proven to save thousands of lives," says Champagne. "We want everyone to have a safe summer, but it requires an important step on the part of motorists – clicking that seat belt – every trip, every time.”

Champagne says Peabody officers will be vigilant to ensure drivers and passengers are wearing seat belts.