Buckle Up New York November 2006 Mobilization Summary

 

The November 2006 Buckle Up New York, Click it or Ticket mobilization was conducted November 13 – 26.  For the first time in the program the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee collected data utilizing web-based reporting.  Grantees were required to report online and the data was collected and transferred into an Excel spreadsheet.  Attached is the spreadsheet report. 

The spreadsheet has totals at the bottom, including the total number of surveys conducted and the average usage rates.  Also, the spreadsheet is sorted by county.  You can sort it by any column you like or use any of the other Excel tools to help you analyze the data to your needs.

Thanks to all of you who submitted your data in a timely manner.  For those that did not report in a timely manner, we hope you will improve on the process in the upcoming May mobilization.  There are still a few grantees that did not report at all as required, even after a number of reminders.  Claims will not be paid until reports are submitted as required.  Keep in mind that grant reporting is used as one of the criteria in making future grant awards.  For those who are administering a Block Grant for their county, please forward this on to your sub-grantees.

Also for the first time, we collected observational seatbelt survey results and whether checkpoints were conducted during the day or night.  As a reminder, grantees were required to agree to conduct two of three of the following activities:

ü      Conduct an observational seatbelt survey

ü      Conduct media outreach

ü      View a roll-call training video

 

Many departments opted to conduct a survey during or around the mobilization: 63 pre-wave, 57 post-wave, and 11 at other times.  The average results were relatively consistent with other survey data that show a rate in the mid-80 percent range statewide.  While this is a relatively high rate by historical standards and is a vast improvement since the inception of the BUNY program, it also means that at least 15 percent of front-seat occupants are not properly restrained during the day.  We also know that restraint use is lower at night and for rear seat passengers.  Quite simply, there is still a lot of work to be done.

According to the 225 police agencies that have reported to date, over 47,000 seatbelt tickets were issued during checkpoints or other dedicated enforcement activities during the November mobilization, including over 2,000 tickets for violations of the child passenger safety law.  Over 1,000 checkpoints were conducted, 75 of which were conducted at night.  This is particularly notable, since evidence shows that seatbelt use is lower at night, when seatbelt checkpoints have not historically been conducted.  Agencies reported that 233 activities relating to public information and education were conducted, including participating in press conferences, distributing PI&E materials and issuing press releases.  Also, 77 agencies reported conducting at least one observational seatbelt survey during or around the mobilization period.

Some of these numbers are consistent with other November mobilizations in the past, for example, tickets issued.  However, more agencies are recognizing the importance of conducting media outreach and surveys than in the past, as indicated by the numbers reported.  Media outreach helps to gain public awareness and support for our enforcement efforts.  Observational surveys help agencies know better what the seatbelt use rates are in their areas so they can better judge how to address the problem of non-compliance.

Finally, most agencies reported apprehending some type of criminal activity associated with the November mobilization.  The most common types of offenses reported were arrests for aggravated unlicensed operation, DWI, warrants and drug possession.  There were also many positive comments reported by police agencies relative to the program.

The Buckle Up New York, Click it or Ticket program continues to be the driving force behind our progress at increasing seatbelt use.  However, day-to-day enforcement is also critical to further increases.  The motoring public needs to perceive that police are writing seatbelt tickets all the time, everywhere, not only during mobilization periods.

The May mobilization dates are May 21 – June 3, 2007.  Also, the roll-call occupant protection training DVD will be sent to all BUNY grantees within the next few weeks.  For those grantees that chose this training as one of their requirements, any officer working on grant related activities is required to view this DVD prior to the start of the May mobilization.  For others, we hope you find this material useful and that you will show it to all your officers.

Seatbelt enforcement is the single most important traffic enforcement action we can take as police officers in order to save lives.  Remember, Buckle Up New York, Click It or Ticket.

Good luck with the upcoming mobilization.  Thank you for all you do each day to make our highways safer.  For further information about the Buckle Up New York program contact the program coordinator here at the GTSC, telephone (518) 474-5111.