Greenwich Police Planning 'Border to Border' Click or Ticket Enforcement Campaign

Greenwich Police are keeping up a Memorial Day holiday tradition and this year, they’re planning an early start for the annual ‘Click It or Ticket’ seatbelt enforcement operation with law enforcement agencies from border towns in New York.

The effort is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Monday, May 18 in Greenwich on its borders with Port Chester and Rye Brook in Westchester County and with Stamford. Officers from those departments as well as Connecticut and New York State Police will be participating in the crackdown that will continue through Memorial Day, according to Sgt. John Slusarz of the Greenwich Police Traffic Section.

“We’re working together as a team…it’s a big operation and it’s most visible on the borders of Connecticut and New York,” Slusarz said. “It’s a big push on the first day to remind drivers to put on their seatbelt and to slow down. If you do that you’re on the way to being a safe driver.”

Greenwich Traffic Technician Roger Drenth added, “As we kick-off the busy summer driving season, it is critical that everyone buckles up every time they go out, day and night – no excuses. Our officers are prepared to ticket anyone who is not wearing their seat belt, including drivers that have neglected to properly buckle their children.”

Last year, 109 drivers were cited during the first three hours of the cooperative crackdown.

The fine for not wearing a seatbelt is $90 for a driver; $120 for either a driver younger than 18 years old or passengers, according to Slusarz.

The checkpoint locations will be:

• Mill Street at the New York border (both directions)
• Route #1 at the New York border (both directions)
• King Street at the Hutchinson River and Merritt Parkways (all directions, including on and off ramps)

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 52 percent of the 21,253 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2011 were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash.

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Photo: the scene of the 2014 seatbelt enforcement effort on King Street on the Greenwich-Rye Brook border.