TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — At the end of April, the Arizona Department of Public Safety was awarded a $20,000 grant from the Arizona Governor's Office of Highway Safety to enforce seat belt and child restraint safety.
“The partnership between the Department of Public Safety, the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, and our other law enforcement agencies is critical,” said Lieutenant Colonel Deston Coleman Jr., Assistant Director of the Highway Patrol Division. “We are all dedicated to reducing fatalities both through education and enforcing the use of seatbelts and child restraints.”
The grant covered overtime and other expenses for troops during a two-week campaign called "Buckle Up Arizona."
From May 22 to June 4, troopers issued 1,321 citations and 186 child restraint safety violations.
As of April 2023, there have been 103 fatal crashes on Arizona highways and interstates investigated by Arizona State Troopers. Of those crashes, 41 people were not wearing seat belts.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds seat belt use reduces the risk of serious crash-related injuries and fatalities by approximately 50%.
