May 11, 2007 — The V.I. Police Department reminded motorists to buckle up for safety as they launched their annual Click It or Ticket seatbelt campaign at a Thursday morning press conference in the commissioner's Frederiksted office.
Officers and administration personnel came together to emphasize to the public the importance of being safe on the roads.
"Buckling up not only saves lives, it also sets a good example for our children who emulate our behavior," said Barbara Jackson-McIntosh, director of the V.I. Office of Highway Safety (VIOHS).
The department is stepping up enforcement of the seatbelt laws during a three-week mobilization, which began May 14 and will end June 1.
Jackson-McIntosh said VIOHS and the University of the Virgin Islands conducted a survey last year to determine the percentage of the population who regularly use seatbelts. The survey showed 20 percent do not regularly use seatbelts, she said. "They pose a danger to themselves and others.
"We want [buckling up] to become a lifestyle. Whenever you get into the car, the first thing you do is buckle up," Jackson-McIntosh said.
Sgt. Charles Orange, who has been in the traffic enforcement division for 14 years, said officers are well trained in spotting drivers who are not wearing their seat belts. "We are able to spot violators in the day and in the night," Orange said. "We will enforce the rules, it’s a safety issue."
St. Croix District Police Chief Winsbut McFarlande said some residents have criticized the department's recent crackdown on vehicular infractions, saying officers are concentrating on "minor offences."
McFarlande, however, said it's all part of the job. "If we can't deal with the little things, how can we deal with the bigger things," McFarlande said. "A traffic violation is still a violation of the law."
Putting the emphasis on family, St. Thomas/St. John District Police Chief Milton Petersen said one of the main reasons motorists should buckle up is because they care. "If you care about your family and other families and you want to be able to arrive home safe at night, you will buckle up."
The department will establish checkpoints at various locations around the Virgin Islands and issue tickets and warnings to motorists who are not using seatbelts. According to St. Croix Traffic Commander Rafael Bramble, this will be a year-round effort.
VIOHS is the agency responsible for developing and implementing strategies to reduce accidents, injuries and fatalities. The department receives funding for the Click It or Ticket It program through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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