Easton – On October 1st, law enforcement agencies in Talbot County announced an education/enforcement campaign in support of the new seat belt and cell phone laws that recently became effective. With the passage of these laws, all persons riding in a vehicle must wear a seat belt or be in an age/weight approved safety seat. The cell phone statute made the use of a hand operated phone for calls or messaging a primary offense. Both laws were designed and enacted to address distracted driving and to reduce traffic accidents and related crash injuries.
Targeted enforcement occurred in areas identified by accident data that indicated driver inattention or distracted driving as a causal factor. Secondary efforts were conducted in residential communities and through specific patrol activities. Though the campaign of “Toward Zero Deaths Border to Border Enforcement” had been announced prior to the effective date of the new laws, education as well as enforcement were part of the design of this program. Reducing crashes and preventing injuries or deaths was the outcome and objective. During October, there were no fatal accidents in Talbot County.
In a combined law enforcement effort to address seat belt and cell phone violations across the county, officers initiated contact with 407 drivers during the October portion of this targeted campaign. The resultant effect was 229 total seat belt violations; of which 111 were citations. Of the total violator contacts, there were 178 traffic stops that addressed cell phone violations; of which 43 were citations. Violations of texting while driving were included in these education/enforcement efforts.
Drivers are reminded that violations of the new seat belt law can result in an $83 fine for each violation/citation issued. Use of a hand held cell phone for communication or messaging (texting) will result in a $83 fine for the first violation, $140 for a second violation, and $160 for a third or subsequent offense. Information or copies of these and other new traffic laws that were effective on October 1st can be obtained from your local police agency.
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