NEW ULM - Brown and Watonwan Co. Deputies along with New Ulm and Sleepy Eye Police officers will conduct enhanced ClickIt or Ticket seat belt patrols through Oct. 22 - the state's first full-scale seat belt enforcement effort since Minnesota's primary seat belt law became effective June 9.

The primary law requires passengers in all seating positions - including the back seat - to be buckled up or seated in the correct child restraint. Law enforcement officers can stop and ticket motorists solely for scat belt violations, including unbelted passengers. A seat belt citation is $25 but can run as much as $115 with court and administrative fees.

Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) reports during 2006-2008 1,097 motorists were killed in crashes - 539 were unbelted - and another 1,152 unbelted motorists were seriously injured. In Brown and Watonwan Counties, 12 motorists were killed - seven were not belted - and another four unbelted motorists were seriously injured.

"These deaths and injuries are not only tragic reminders of the lives lost in our community(ies), but should serve as a reminder to all Brown and Watonwan County citizens that traffic deaths due to seat belt non-use are preventable," says Officer Keith Anderson. "The state's primary scat belt law is intended to boost belt use compliance to prevent these needless tragedies-"

Law enforcement will further focus their enforcement efforts. toward special nighttime seat belt enforcement patrols. DPS 2006-2008 data reports 277 motorists were killed during nighttime hours (9 p.m. - 3 a.m.) and of those killed 178 (64 percent) were not belted.

Brown and Watonwan Law Enforcement is also concerned about belt use among teens and young adults Its - the groups least likely to buckle up and who are overrepresented in traffic deaths. Statewide each year, motorists ages 15-29 account for 45 percent of all unbelted deaths, yet this group represents only 25 percent of all licensed drivers. Of these unbelted deaths, 80 percent occur in Greater Minnesota. This same age group accounts for 55 percent of all unbelted serious injuries 70 percent occur in Greater Minnesota.

In a similar scat belt enforcement effort last May, Brown and Watonwan Co- Deputies along with New Ulm and Sleepy Eye Police Officers issued 61 seat belt citations.

Around 400 law enforcement agencies statewide will participate in the effort coordinated by DPS as a component of the state's TowardZero Death (TZD) initiative. TZD is a multi-agency approach to address traffic issues regionally through enforcement, education, engineering and emergency trauma care.