Seat Belt Compliance Campaign

Starting November 13th, the Garden City Police Department is joining agencies throughout Nassau County and New York State in the "Buckle Up New York, Click it or Ticket" Campaign. During this campaign the Police Department is declaring zero tolerance for unbuckled drivers and passengers as well as unbuckled or improperly restrained children. During this operation, which will continue through the Thanksgiving Day Weekend, Garden City Police Officers will be conducting high-visibility checkpoints to enforce violations of the seatbelt and child restraint laws of New York State.

Garden City Police Commissioner Ernest Cipullo states "The Department's occupant safety enforcement efforts have been instrumental in helping Garden City to possess more than a 90% seatbelt usage rate which is significantly higher than the state average of about 85%. The Garden City Police Department enforces seatbelt and child restraint laws because statistics show that non compliance to these laws is the number one factor in deaths for adults and children involved in motor vehicle accidents, even higher than other serious factors such as alcohol or excessive speed."

Commissioner Cipullo reminds us that all front seat occupants of a motor vehicle as well as children under the age of sixteen, are required to wear seatbelts. In addition, children less than four must ride in safety seats. Booster seats equipped with a lap shoulder belt may be used if the child less than four is more than forty pounds. Children between four and seven must ride in a certified child restraint system which meets the child's weight and height recommendations as listed by the child restraint manufacturer.