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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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January 22, 2019
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Millington Police Department Announces SAFE Campaign Participation
This statewide initiative is designed to increase seatbelt usage and child passenger safety restraint usage through the implementation of occupant-protection programs, public events, and checkpoints throughout local communities across Tennessee. The SAFE campaign begins February 1, 2019, and concludes August 1, 2019.
“It is a fact—seat belts save lives,” said Chief Mark Dunbar. “Nationally, statistics show that hundreds of thousands of deaths have been avoided by seat belt use. Whether you’re in the front seat or in the back, wearing a seat belt is one of the simplest ways to protect yourself. I encourage everyone to be smart and buckle up every time they are in a vehicle on the road.”
2019 will be the sixth year the THSO has sponsored the SAFE campaign. Last year yielded the following results:
- 1,182 child restraint violations
- 13,165 seat belt citations
- 305 other seat belt enforcement activities
“In 2017, Tennessee’s average seatbelt usage rate was 88.51 percent,” said THSO Director Vic Donoho. “Last year, the usage rate was 88.77 percent. Through increased education, enforcement, and community involvement, we’re striving to achieve 100 percent.”
This year, participating agencies will pay special attention to nighttime seatbelt enforcement. Tennessee has seen a disproportionate percentage of unrestrained fatalities between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 5:59 a.m. historically, approximately fifty percent of Tennessee’s traffic fatalities are unbelted. That percentage increases to nearly sixty when nighttime crashes are examined.