Officers participating in a statewide enforcement effort issued 28 citations for seat belt violations between Nov. 16 – Nov. 22.

This brings the total number of seat belt citations issued in the first 15 weeks of the campaign to 720.

The enforcement and awareness mobilization, which launched Aug. 1, is part of a four-month long safety initiative created after results from observational seat belt surveys conducted by the Office of Highway Safety in June revealed that the state’s 2009 statewide use rate declined from 91 percent last year to 88 percent this year. To date this year, 58 percent of drivers and passengers killed since Jan. 1 have not been buckled up.

In addition to the seat belt citations issued in the last week, officers also cited 31 for speeding, three for child restraint violations and cited another 54 for other traffic violations. They also made three DUI arrests and apprehended three wanted individuals.

Eight county and municipal police agencies, primarily located in Sussex and New Castle Counties, are conducting either traffic safety patrols and/or checkpoints looking for unbuckled drivers and passengers. Enforcement is occurring both day and night and will continue through the end of November, including the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Delaware law requires drivers and all passengers, including those in the back seat, to wear a seat belt. An officer can pull over a driver if he sees any person not wearing one.

Delaware’s law also requires correct use of the seat belt, which means the shoulder belt must be worn over the shoulder and not under the arm. Officers will be issuing citations for seat belt violations as part of a zero tolerance policy.

The ticket, which goes to the driver no matter who is unbuckled in the vehicle, is a $25 fine plus court administrative fees, which can eventually total more than $70.