KPD e-News Release: Tuesday Afternoon Seatbelt Checkpoint Nets Multiple Offenders on Numerous Charges

	Kingsport Police Department 200 Shelby Street • Kingsport, TN 37660 ThomasMPatton • 423-229-9433 (Desk) • 423-224-2786 (FAX) http://Police.KingsportTN.gov • www.KingsportPDBlog.com
NEWS RELEASE
SUBJECT:		Tuesday Afternoon Seatbelt Checkpoint Nets Multiple Offenders on Numerous Charges
DATE:		March 15, 2017

GENERAL NARRATIVE
A Tuesday afternoon seatbelt checkpoint netted multiple offenders on numerous charges and might potentially have saved a few lives in the process. On March 14, 2017, from 1:00 PM until 4:00 PM, Officers of the Kingsport Police Department conducted a Seatbelt Compliance Checkpoint on Gibson Mill Road at the intersection with Windsor Street in Kingsport. This three-hour effort resulted in the issuance of nearly 50 municipal citations, 44 of which were for Violation of Seatbelt Law. In addition to the city citations, several offenders were charged with violations of Tennessee State Law. 4 individuals were charged with Driving on a Revoked, Suspended, or Canceled License, 3 individuals were charged with Violation of the Financial Responsibility Law (no insurance), and 2 individuals were charged through State court for Seatbelt Violations. One individual was arrested when Officers learned that another agency held an outstanding warrant for her arrest. One vehicle was seized in accordance with state law, as the driver with a history of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) was Driving on a Revoked License. Another 2 vehicles were towed in compliance with a new K.P.D. policy authorizing Officers to tow uninsured vehicles. According to the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) the Tennessee statewide seatbelt usage rate for 2016 was 88.95%, which was a noticeable improvement over the 2015 usage rate of 86.23%. In an ideal world, all motorists would wear their seatbelt 100 percent of the time; however, the Kingsport Police Department would view any significant increase in usage to be a success. To achieve this goal, the Kingsport Police Department is stepping up seatbelt education and enforcement efforts. In the State of Tennessee, a violation of the seatbelt law is considered a primary offense, meaning that if an officer observes a motorist not wearing a seatbelt, the officer may stop and cite the motorist for the seatbelt violation without observing any other offenses. Wearing a seatbelt can easily make the difference in a motorist being seriously injured or killed in a crash versus literally walking away from the crash with minor injuries or completely unscathed. The Kingsport Police Department encourages ALL occupants of ALL motor vehicles to wear their seatbelt ALL of the time. It is the law, but more importantly, it might just save a life.