Vernon Hills Police Step Up Seat Belt Enforcement

Vernon Hills police are stepping up seat belt enforcement this month as part of a crackdown on unsafe drivers.

Extra officers will be on the streets through May 27, in honor of Memorial Day, to watch for drivers who are driving in an unsafe way.   

These details are a continuation of the state grant the Vernon Hills Police Department received to increase seat belt usage throughout the state.

Since 2012, Illinois law requires all passengers, regardless of age or location in the vehicle, to be secured in a seat belt or an appropriately approved child restraint system.

If a passenger has a disability or medical condition that makes him/her unable to secure his/her own safety belt, the driver is responsible for securing and adjusting the safety belt for that passenger.

It is the responsibility of the driver to ensure that all passengers obey the seat belt safety law and the Child Passenger Protection Act. Anyone found guilty of disobeying this law is subject to a fine and court costs.

Safety belt use is especially important for teens and young adults. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people age 15 to 34 in the United States. Even though most people buckle-up, the majority of motor vehicle occupants killed in crashes last year were unrestrained.

Anyone with questions regarding occupant restraint laws or any other traffic law can call the Vernon Hills Police Department Traffic Unit hotline at (847) 362-4449.