New seatbelt laws focus on child safety
By
KGNS News
Story Created:
May 17, 2010
Story Updated:
May 18, 2010
This year's campaign focuses on two new laws that will take effect June first.
One law will enforce the use of seat belts and the other will focus on child safety.
Many drivers may not know about a couple of new state laws passed last year.
Passengers in the front seat could get a ticket for not wearing their seat belt; but now, for the first time, those passengers in the back seat will receive a ticket.
"That’s one of the biggest. Also child restraint. They are not properly securing their children with seat belts or in child safety seats or not even a seat belt at all."
Between the months of January and March police gave out more than 500 citations for no seat belts, and more than 400 for not having their children in a car seat.
According to Municipal Judge Boyer Ornelas, he sees these numbers quite often in his courtroom.
"As a judge you want to see nobody gets that citation. It is the easiest to avoid. That is the first thing you do when you get in the car."
We set up our cameras in two different busy intersections to see how many people do avoid wearing their seat belts.
In a matter of twenty minutes we filmed more than 30 drivers, only two of them were not wearing their seat belt.
Judge Ornelas says he has heard all sorts of stories when people get cited for not using their safety belt.
"I was only going to go around the block. I just left the store. The baby was crying.I didn't have a seat belt so I didn't buckle up the baby."
Now expect stiffer penalties if you decide not to comply with the law.
The new seat belt and child safety laws will take effect June first.
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op said on Thursday, May 20 at 7:42 AM
there's no ordinacne yet...just in school zones
43579501Fedup said on Wednesday, May 19 at 11:24 PM
This is a dumb law especially here in Laredo...like the city ordinance on cellphones,you see cops driving all over town using them.How they gonna give you a ticket for doing the samething they are...only in Laredo
43566712TOMASD said on Tuesday, May 18 at 9:40 PM
If officials want to protect children in motor vehicle, why is it I see children in the back of pick-ups on Hwy 359 and Loop 20 and the police do nothing?
43485061what? said on Tuesday, May 18 at 11:57 AM
can somebody explain why there is a law to enforce the law?
43446676recent poster said on Tuesday, May 18 at 10:20 AM
Suuuuuuuuuur, good luck in ever seing this enforced.
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