The Columbus Police Department will be participating in the statewide "Click It Or Ticket" seat belt campaign from May 21st through June 3rd.
The objective of this campaign will be to increase Nebraska's safety belt usage rate to eighty-seven percent. A recent, local seat belt survey by the police department revealed only a sixty-five percent usage rate.
According to statistics from the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety, last year revealed 105 (71%) of the 145 passenger vehicle fatalities in Nebraska were not wearing seat belts.
Overtime enforcement for this campaign is funded by a grant through the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety.
The Columbus Police Department would like to remind the public that:
* No driver shall operate a motor vehicle unless the driver and each front seat passenger wear a seat belt.
* All children, regardless of weight, 5 years of age or younger, must be in a child restraint system.
* All children, regardless of seating position, ages 6-17 must use a seat belt.
* All people, regardless of age or seating position, must wear a seat belt when being transported by a driver who possesses a school permit, learner's permit or provisional operator's permit.