The Kimball Police Department officers cited 72 unbuckled motorists during the statewide Safe and Sober enhanced seat belt enforcement campaign May 24-June 6. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety (DPS/OTS) coordinated the efforts of more than 430 agencies and the State Patrol to increase seat belt use. “We’re trying to change behavior to get people in the habit of buckling up,” said Kimball Police Chief Todd Rohloff. “We hope this will prevent more deaths and serious injuries.” From 1998 to 2002, traffic accidents claimed 2,572 lives in Minnesota; more than half were not wearing seat belts. During the same period in Stearns County, 73 people died; 47 of them were not belted. The economic impact of unbelted deaths and injuries in Stearns County is at a cost of $14,420,700. Seat belt use in our area was at 83.6 percent before the campaign started. Post-enforcement surveys will be completed to document the increase of seat belt usage. The Kimball Police Department worked additional overtime hours during this seat belt campaign, which was funded by the Minnesota DPS/OTS. The Safe and Sober campaign is funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and administered by OTS. The program is designed to reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries.
