A province-wide traffic safety blitz targeting cell phone and seatbelt use will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, June 19 and 20.
A province-wide traffic safety blitz targeting cell phone and seatbelt use will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, June 19 and 20.
Law enforcement officers across the province, including the Weyburn Police Service, will be on the lookout for people not wearing a seatbelt, wearing one improperly, or not having their children properly secured in the vehicle.
In the blitz held in May, 102 people were ticketed for seatbelt violations.
"Those numbers are disturbing, especially when buckling up is such a simple thing to do with a huge safety payout. Wearing a seatbelt decreases your odds of being killed or seriously injured in a crash by 50 per cent.
Motorists using a cell phone while driving will also be targeted; using a cell phone while driving results in a $280 ticket and the loss of four points under SGI's safe driver recognition program.
This means depending on where a driver is on the safety rating scale, they may either have to pay a financial penalty or lose any insurance discount they may have.
Cell phone use also contributes to distracted driving, which is a leading contributing factor in all collisions in the province.
In 2012, improper or non-use of seatbelts contributed to 47 deaths and 274 injuries in the province. Distracted driving, which includes cell phone use, contributed to 60 deaths and nearly 2,200 injuries.
"Wearing a seatbelt is a choice, and not using a cell phone to text or talk while driving is a choice," said Chief Troy Hagen, president of the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police.
The last Operation Hang Up, Buckle Up blitz was held in March, and resulted in 282 tickets, including 84 cell phone violations and 101 seatbelt violations.
With construction season underway, motorists are also reminded to be extra cautious when driving through construction zones and to always obey posted speed limits.
