Click It Or Ticket

Chief Roy E. Melnick announced the Ashland Police Department will join more than 260 Massachusetts local police departments and the state police in a Thanksgiving Holiday traffic enforcement “mobilization” November 18 to December 1 as part of the Governor’s Highway Safety Bureau’s Click it or Ticket Campaign. The department received a $10,200.00 grant to support is involvement in the campaign.

“This Click it or Ticket mobilization will reduce the danger we all face from motor vehicle crashes during the heavily-traveled Thanksgiving Holiday period,” said Chief Roy E. Melnick. “In addition to preventing aggressive and impaired driving and speeding , this mobilization will allow us to increase compliance with the Massachusetts safety belt and child passenger safety laws so more people will be protected.

The Governor's Highway Safety Bureau's Click it or Ticket Campaign, made possible by a federal highway safety grant, combines traffic enforcement, paid and non-paid media messages, as well as community educating and outreach. States that participated in last May's Click It or Ticket mobilization saw an overall 90% increase in safety belt use.

"We strongly urge those using Massachusetts roadways during the Thanksgiving Holiday period to drive sober and well-rested, to obey posted speed limits, to allow extra travel time for emergencies, and to make sure everyone is properly buckled up", said Nancy J. Luther, Executive Director of the Governor's Highway Safety Bureau. "This Click It or Ticket mobilization will encourage safe driving practices that will reduce the more that 400 fatalities, 91,000 injuries, and $6.3 billion in economic costs from motor vehicle crashes that annually devastate Massachusetts families and our economy."

There were 10 motor vehicle crashes that resulted in 10 fatalities during the four-day Thanksgiving Holiday period in 2001.

Ashland Police Department Joins Massachusetts Click It or Ticket Campaign November 18, 2002.

December 5, 2002

Alcohol was involved in approximately half of the 477 motor vehicle related fatalities in Massachusetts in 2001. To reduce impaired driving on our roadways, the Ashland Police Department will join more that 260 Massachusetts local police department and the State Police in the Winter Holidays Mobilization of the Governor’s Highway Safety Bureau’s Click it or Ticket Campaign.

"Drunk driving is a violent crime, not an innocent lapse in someone's judgment." said Chief Melnick. "During this up-coming holiday season, we'll have extra traffic enforcement looking for impaired driver, as well as those who speed, drive aggressively, and do not use safety belts and child safety seats. All of this effort is to help ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable holiday season with family and friends."

The Click It or Ticket Campaign's Thanksgiving Mobilization helped to reduce motor vehicle related fatalities from 10 each during the 2000 and 2001 Thanksgiving holiday period to 3 reported fatalities during this year's holiday period. Nine people died in motor vehicle crashes over the 2001 Christmas and New Year's holiday periods.

"Our Winter Holidays Mobilization will focus public attention on the dangers posed by drunk driving and it will be an opportunity to remind people that always wearing a safety belt is one's best defense against a drunk driver," said Nancy J. Luther, Executive Director of the Governor's Highway Safety Bureau.

The battle to reduce drunk driving in Massachusetts got a boost last month with the enactment of a law requiring judges to consider drunk driving convictions further back than ten years when sentencing offenders. Earlier convictions will now be taken into consideration by judges at sentencing time, with allowance being made only for second offenders with a first time conviction more that 10 years ago. Between 16,000 and 18,000 people are arrested annually for impaired driving in Massachusetts. There were 120,000 drivers with one prior DUI conviction and 65,000 with two or more DUI convictions in Massachusetts in 2001.

May 24, 2003

On Friday evening, May 23, 2003 the Ashland Police Department conducted a four hour public awareness campaign emphasizing the importance and benefits of safety belt use. The Ashland Police Association and Shaw's Supermarket each donated a $100.00 gift card redeemable at Shaw's Supermarkets and Star Market for a drawing held on Friday evening. Each person that made a pledge to wear a safety belt and encourage others in their vehicle to do the same was entered into a drawing for a chance to win one of the two gift cards.

At the campaign, Ashland Police Officers engaged in conversations and distributed literature advising the public to tips, facts, and statistics regarding safety belt use. Approximately 320 people filled out a pledge card pledging to buckle up every time they drive or ride in a motor vehicle.

The drawing was conducted at 8:35 pm at Shaw's Supermarket located at 49 Pond Street. Store manager Brent Nason randomly picked the two winners from all pledge cards made that evening. The two winners were Mr. Harry Cotto and Ms. Fontes, both of Ashland.

This campaign is part of an an-going effort of the Ashland Police Department working in cooperation with the Massachusetts Governor's Highway Safety Bureau to increase safety belt use in Massachusetts. Safety belt use in Massachusetts is currently at 51%, one of the lowest in the nation. The Ashland Police Department and the Governors Highway Safety Bureau is serious about saving lives and encourage all motorists and their passengers to "Buckle Up!". Safety belts increase your chances of avoiding death or serious injury in a crash by up to 50%. It is not just for your safety, it's the law in Massachusetts.

Police ask drivers to take the pledge

By D. Craig MacCormack / News Staff Writer
Sunday, May 25, 2003

ASHLAND -- Two local residents will get to play their own version of "Supermarket Sweep" at Shaw's on Pond Street, just for pledging to wear their seat belts in the car.

Harry Cotto, who delivers car parts for Foreign Motors West, and Sarah Fontes, a third-grader at Warren School, took home $100 gift cards as part of the Ashland Police Department's promotion of Click It or Ticket Friday night.

The Click It or Ticket effort urges drivers and passengers to buckle up before heading to that family get-together or else face the financial consequences.

"We're serious about saving lives, and we're serious about getting the message out to motorists about buckling up," said Sgt. Scott Rohmer. "We were very happy with the number of people who responded. Now we hope they stick to the pledge."

About 320 people came to Shaw's Friday and talked to Ashland police about the reasons for wearing a seat belt when they're in the car. Store manager Brent Nason will present the gift certificates later this week, Rohmer said.

Cotto, a longtime resident of Eliot Street, and Fontes, 8, who came with her family from Brazil to Raymond Marchetti Street five years ago, both said they wear seat belts all the time, so the pledge was no problem for them.

"You don't know when you're going to get into an accident," Cotto said. "Without wearing a seat belt, you could die."

While drivers can't be pulled over for not wearing their seat belts, police can assess $35 fines if not everyone in the car is buckled up. Drivers are responsible for fines if passengers under 16 are not safely fastened.

Passengers over age 16 can be fined $25 each if a driver is pulled over for another moving violation and all riders are not wearing their seat belts.

That's of no concern to Fontes, who buckles up as soon as she gets into the car, she said. She learned about the safety habit from her mother, who joined her at Shaw's for the police presentation.

"It's really important," said the younger Fontes of wearing a seat belt. "If you get into a car accident, it could prevent you from getting hurt or injured."

Fontes, who asked her mother during Friday's trip to Shaw's to buy ice cream, can now splurge on some herself. She may also grab some whipped cream and other toppings as well as a package of hamburger, her favorite food.

Cotto isn't sure how he'll spend the $100, but he knows it won't go to waste.

"The whole family shops there," he said.

A grant from the Governor's Highway Safety Bureau provides for extra patrols on main roads until June 1. The Click It or Ticket effort is the primary focus of the increased presence.

Nationwide, drivers have a 75 percent seat belt compliance. That number is about 50 percent in the Bay State.

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