St. Peters Police Cracking Down on Seat Belt Violations

St. Peters Police began cracking down on seat belt violations this week as part of a statewide law enforcement effort. 

Starting on Monday and running until June 2, St. Peters Police will be enforcing the "Click It or Ticket" campaign throughout the city. According to a release from the Police Department, seven out of 10 people killed in Missouri traffic crashes aren't wearing seat belts. 

The release said Missouri has 79 percent seat belt use—well below the 85-percent national average. According to police, teens and pick-up truck drivers are among those least likely to buckle up.

Police said seat belt use is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes.       

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Seat belt laws in St. Peters are a secondary violation. In 2011, the Missouri Department of Highway Transportation asked the city to consider making seat belt laws a primary violation, which would allow officers to ticket drivers not wearing a seat belt. The law on the books at the time classified seat belts as a secondary violation meaning a driver couldn't be pulled over for not wearing a seatbelt—the driver can only be reprimanded for not wearing a seat belt if the traffic stop is for another reason, like speeding. State legislation hasn’t moved forward to make seat belt use a primary violation, so cities are being asked to alter their own laws.

The Board of Aldermen voted down the proposed change and seat belt violations remain a secondary violation.