Click it or ticket

PEA RIDGE — Motorists in Pea Ridge may face tickets if they fail to buckle their seat belts.

Since 2009, failure to buckle a seat belt has been a primary offense, meaning police can stop a motorist if they suspect they are not buckled.

The Pea Ridge Police Department will be working in conjunction with the Criminal Justice Traffic Safety Program May 21 to June 3.

“Our officers will check drivers both day and night for seat belts,” Chief Tim Ledbetter said. “A representative from the Criminal Justice Institute stopped by the office and asked for our cooperation.”

All information gathered duringthis two-week period will be tallied and submitted to CJI for state research, including anyother citations or arrests that result from the program.

“We’ll probably have extra officers working shifts, doing more of a saturation type patrolling,” Ledbettersaid.

In addition to mandatory seat belt usage, the 2009 provides a fine reduction as an incentive to wear a seat belt. If a driver is stopped for any other traffic offense, but is wearing a seat belt, the levied fine can be reducedby $10.

The Benton County Sheriff’s Office will also join local and national law enforcement officers and highway safety advocates all across the country for the 2012 National “Click it or Ticket” seat belt enforcement mobilization.