ISP will increase seat belt patrols starting Friday

Beginning Friday, Indiana State Police Troopers from the Bloomington Post will increase seat belt patrols throughout Greene and Owen counties as part of the state's Rural Demonstration Project (RDP).

ISP announced its participation in the annual effort aims to increase seat belt use by motorists in rural counties with the highest percentage of unrestrained fatalities, according to public information officer Sgt. Curt Durnil.

According to the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI), 64 percent of the state's total traffic fatalities occurred on rural roadways during 2011.

In an effort to reduce these fatalities, approximately 24 Indiana law enforcement agencies throughout the state, in conjunction with the Indiana State Police, have been selected to take part in this year's project, which runs through May 17. "Participating agencies will be on the lookout for unrestrained motorists in all vehicles, including pickup trucks," Durnil said.

Since 2007, Indiana's primary seat belt law has required that all passenger motor vehicle occupants, including those in pickup trucks, buckle up regardless of seating position.

During Indiana's 2011 "Click It or Ticket" mobilization, law enforcement officers cited more than 18,000 motorists for failure to comply with Indiana's seat belt law.

The Rural Demonstration Project (RDP) is an annual traffic safety effort made possible through Federal Highway Safety grants administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI).