Red Bay to click-it or ticket

By Staff
Melissa Cason, Franklin County Times
RED BAY – The Red Bay Police Department will participate in a statewide campaign to promote seatbelt usage during the Memorial Day holiday.
Patrol officers will begin to closely watch traffic May 17 on State Highways 19 and 24. The main focus of the heavy patrols is to make sure that drivers and passengers follow all local, state and federal seat belt laws, Police Chief Pat Creel said.
"This is a safety precaution to remind people to do something they should be doing already," Creel said.
Red Bay Police will also set up checkpoints beginning May 26. The checkpoints will be at 10th Ave. North, Water Plant Road and State Highway 19.
Funding for the checkpoints and additional patrol officers for this time period is paid for by a grant from the North Alabama Highway Safety Office.
NAHSO is an organization that works with the Alabama Department of Community and Economic Affairs to develop and implement traffic safety enforcement and education programs aimed at reducing crashes, according to the organization's website.
"We try to emphasize the importance of wearing safety belts twice a year; usually at Thanksgiving and Memorial Day," Creel added.
Creel feels that wearing a safety belt when sitting down inside a car is a good habit to have.
"In serious accidents, wearing seat belts undoubtedly saves lives, and statistically, serious accidents occur within 25 miles of your home," Creel said.
The following line patrols and check points will be set up to monitor safety belt compliance: