News Releases

Media Advisory: NINJA on the Ramps - Nighttime Seatbelt Enforcement

For Immediate Release: Friday, April 5, 2013

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• What:  NINJA on the Ramps - Nighttime Seatbelt Enforcement

• When:  Friday, April 5, 10:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.

• Where:  Various locations on entrance and exit ramps to I-270 and I-495

Tonight, officers from the Montgomery County Police Department will be teaming up with the Gaithersburg City Police Department, the Rockville City Police Department, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, and the Maryland State Police in a campaign to aggressively enforce the nighttime use of seatbelts.  Although Maryland has an overall seatbelt usage compliance rate of 92%, recent research shows that this percentage significantly decreases during nighttime driving hours.

Due to this drop in seatbelt usage during nighttime hours, officers will be stationed at on and off ramps to I-270 and I-495 between the enforcement hours of 10:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m.  The officers will be observing vehicles for seatbelt non-compliance and other safety violations.  If a violation is observed, the vehicles will be stopped, and a citation will be issued.  A zero tolerance policy will be in effect during this enforcement.

In addition to the officers involved in this enforcement, representatives from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will also be present throughout the evening to observe the operation and to obtain footage for use in their upcoming national Click It or Ticket commercial.  Representatives from the MVA's Maryland Highway Safety Office are also expected to be in attendance.

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*** Members of the media are invited to attend a brief roll call to be held prior to this enforcement.  The roll call will be held at the Public Safety Headquarters, 100 Edison Park Drive, Gaithersburg at 8:30 p.m.  Following the roll call, a location will be provided for media members to gather and film officers participating in this enforcement.  If planning to attend the roll call, please be sure to leave enough time to pass through security when entering the PSHQ. ***

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Release ID: 13-103
Media Contact: mcpnews 
Categories: press-releases