Eunice city marshals encouraging teen drivers

It’s very rare that government actually rewards people for doing the right things.

And as a result, teenaged drivers may be looking forward to getting a ticket from the Eunice City Marshal’s office.

Marshal Terry Darbonne said that a new program has been developed and is in place at Eunice High School. He said that deputy marshals are now stopping teen drivers, without flashing lights, in high school parking lots and  rewarding them and passengers for wearing their seat belts.

“If the deputies catch you wearing your seat belt they give you a slip of paper,” said Darbonne. “You fill it out, turn it in to your home room teacher and later on during the year, we will be awarding prizes for safe driving. We’re attempting to maybe give some prizes like an iPad. So, you do get rewarded for doing the right things and that’s what we’re try to reach out to.”

On Thursday last week, after school, at Eunice High School, Chief Deputy Robert Johnson said that the initiative was a random “pro-active approach to seat belt enforcement” aimed at students and seat belt compliance.

“I’ve visited the Eunice High campus three times since the beginning of school, distributing the tickets, and I believe that this program is making a difference,” said Johnson. “When the students enter or exit the campus and have  their seat belt on, then realize that I’m standing there to offer them the chance to win, a smile comes to their face.”

He said that the winners will be announced and the prizes will be distributed during the EHS Renaissance pep-rally.

He said that he hoped to bring the program to St. Edmund High School at some point during the school year.

Johnson said that he urged businesses, organization and individuals to partner with the Marshal’s office by either making donations or offering a sponsorship of the program to encourage safe driving.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s general usage for seat belt statistics, Louisiana has seen a gradual increase in seat belt usage since 2006 with 74.8 percent usage and in 2012 with 79.3 percent usage. According to the study the 2012 national average was at 86 percent, 

The Marshal’s Office wants to assist motorists, especially high school age vehicle occupants, in recognizing the importance of wearing a seat belt, according to Johnson.