A two-week crackdown starts today on those who don’t use their seat belts.

More than 100 police agencies statewide, including the CHP and Petaluma police, are participating in the special campaign, funded by the state Office of Traffic Safety via the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The crackdown, which occurs twice a year, goes through Nov. 28.

Petaluma Sgt. Ken Savano said his officers will be paying extra attention on whether drivers and passengers are using seat belts. It’s something that Petaluma police take quite seriously. Savano said that in 2009 Petaluma officers ticketed 275 drivers for not wearing their seat belts. So far this year, 352 tickets have been given out.

A study last summer showed 96.2 percent of Californians buckle up, an increase from 95.3 percent in 2009. The national average in 2009 was 84 percent.

A NHTSA study reported in 2009 found 93 percent of people in Western states buckled up compared to 82 percent in the Northeast and South and 81 percent in the Midwest. Eighty-seven percent of those riding in vans and SUVs wore seat belts compared to 86 percent for cars and 74 percent for pickups.

The Office of Traffic Safety said fines for seat belt violations start at a minimum of $142 for an adult and a minimum of $445 for children under age 16. A second offense for a child not properly restrained is more than $1,000, the office said.

To read an earlier story about seat belt use in Lake, Mendocino and Sonoma counties, CLICK HERE.