Buckle up, or get written up

If you’re among the 123 drivers or passengers who have been ticketed of late for failure to use a seat-belt, you’re about to have company.
Law enforcement has concluded that increased enforcement might convince drivers to buckle up.
While they are at it, city police, parish deputes and state police are also cracking down on impaired or distracted drivers.
The impetus for the enforcement campaign is the 10 unbelted persons killed in St. Landry accidents this year, including four earlier this month in Eunice.
Chief Ronald Dies said at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting that the beefed-up scrutiny begins immediately.
It comes on the heels of the annual two-week “Click It or Ticket” campaign in which special details have issued the 123 city citations mentioned above.
He said in most of the St. Landry and State Police Troop I fatal accidents over the past six months the victims likely would have survived if properly restrained.
Dies met with parish and LSP representatives in Lafayette earlier in the day Tuesday.
According to State Police Capt. Becket Breaux, 80 percent of fatal crashes state police handled last year involved an impaired driver and 67 percent involved an unrestrained one. So far this year, that number is at 73 percent.
Dies said it is the individual’s job to be responsible, but law enforcement’s task to make the public safe.
He said people who insist on driving after drinking or using controlled or illegal substances, driving while texting and otherwise working their phones, fussing with their appearance, messing with their music system, or otherwise being distracted are a menace first to others, then to themselves.
Dies said his officers and the others involved in the campaign intend to point out that to them by issuing as many citations as necessary.