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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0140.091 2002-2004 ~v,w~!~,,. Harry Kim r>~~;:' ':t, Lawrence K. Mahuna Mayor Police Chief Harry S. Kubojiri ~~~~~•~•N•'.??~ Deputy Police Chief County of Hawaii October 20, 2004 POLICE DEPARTMENT ~ 349 Kapiolani Street • Hilo, Hawaii 96720-3998 ' _ c-~ (808) 935-3311 • Fax (808) 961-8869 ~ ' " TO JAMES Y. ARAKAKI, COUNCIL CHAIR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM ELR'~RIO, ASSISTANT POLICE CHIEF co ACTING POLICE CHIEF SUBJECT FINAL REPORT Name of Grant Program: Seatbelt Enforcement Federal or State Grantor: State Department of Transportation Public Affaris Office-Safe Community Program County Grantee DepartmenUAgency: County Police Department Grant No.: OP04-05(01-H-02) Amount of Grant: $50,000.00 Amount of County Match: None County Revenue & Expenditures Acct 010.201.5219.76,3302.80 Grant Period: October 1, 2003-September 30, 2004 Goals: See attached Objectives: See attached Outcomes: See attached Comm. No. ~ "Hawaii County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer" Re{. TO: ~i Ref. Uate SAFE COMMUNITY HIGHWAY SAFETY PRO~'iRAM QUARTERLY REPORT PROJECT TITLE: HCPD SEAT BELT ENFORCEMENT /OP04-OS (O1-H-02) Priority Area: I Area: Occupant Protection The goal of this project is to reduce fatalities and injuries to front seat occupants, and rear seat occupants aged 17 and under, of motor vehicle collisions by increasing the usage rate of seat belts to 95% and usage rate of seat belt by rear occupants aged 17 and under to 50%. 1. Conduct 100 highly visible seat belt checkpoints island-wide. 2. Issue 2400 seat belt and child restraint citations at these checkpoints. 3. Issue 300 citations for other violations. 4. Conduct seat belt checkpoints during Buckle Up Week in May, Labor Day weekend, Thanksgiving holiday, the beginning of the New Year and during other enforcement periods as selected by the Hawaii County Police Department. 5. Affect 20 arrests of persons during enforcement projects. GRANT PERIOD RESULTS (FINAL REPORT) • Conducted 45 highly visible seat belt checkpoints island-wide in the fourth quarter. Total of 222 checkpoints conducted during the fiscal year. • Issued 326 seat belt and 6 child restraint citations in the fourth quarter. Total of 1866 seat belt and 62 child restraint citations issued during the fiscal year. • Issued 386 citations for other violations in the fourth quarter. Total of 1505 citations for other violations issued during the fiscal year. • Initiated 5 arrests for traffic and other violations in the fourth quarter. Total of 63 arrests, to include 3 arrests for OVUII, made during the fiscal year. The goal of this grant was to reduce injuries by increasing the front passenger seat belt usage rate to 95% ,and usage rate of rear seat occupants aged 17 and under to 50%. These goals were surpassed. According to statistics compiled by the University of Hawaii during the "Click It or Ticket" seat belt enforcement campaign earlier held from May 24-June 26, 2003, the Big Island's seat belt usage rate was measured at 96.05% for front seat passengers and 88.4% for rear seat occupants aged 17 and under. In attaining the grant goal, four of the five performance indicators listed under grant strategies were attained. The number of checkpoints conducted, number of traffic citations issued for violations other than seat belt or child restraint violations and number of arrests initiated surpassed the indicators presented. Checkpoints were also conducted during major holidays and the "Click It or Ticket" mobilization. 's~i~a.Gsaii 'Tribune Herald r •r, • ? • r• News from Hilo, Hawaii Thursday, May 27, 2004 C{,.ICK Ta4R•TICKET . ~ s. ' ~ ~y ' `AI . i~ - { ~ Hawaii County Police Sgt. Burton Yamaguchi, second from right, and Officers Jeffrey Flores, left, George Makua and Alan Kimura flag down two vehicles for seat belt violations Tuesday on the Volcano Highway. Police teams will be especially vigilant for unbelted occupants during the annual "Click It or Ticket" campaign running Chrough June 6. Motorists are reminded that all front seat occupants, as well as all riders under 18 seated anywhere in a vehicle, must be strapped in or incur a fine of $77 per violation. Officers will also issue citations for other infractions. The pickup in foreground, for example, was cited for two seat belt violations, a cracked windshield, and for failure to replace out-of--state license plates with Hawaii plates within 30 days. WILLIAM ING/Tribune-Herald HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT CLICK IT OR TICKET MOBILIZATION (MAY 24-JUNE 6, 2004) ENFORCEMENT RESULTS ENFORCEMENT SEGMENT: 97 enforcement projects were conducted in island-wide resulting in the issuance of 698 seat belt citations, 23 child restraint citations, 646 other citations and 16 arrests. Of the sixteen arrests, two were for impaired driving. It should be noted, that many checkpoints were cancelled due to lack of manpower or weather conditions. EDUCATIONAL/COMMUNITY AWARENESS SEGMENT: The educational/community awareness segment was divided into the following categories: • Police personnel • Media outreach • Community Awareness • Schools Police personnel: A memorandum outlining the Click It or Ticket program and schedule was distributed to all police commands. A presentation was made to all district commanders during the June Commanders Meeting. The Commanders Meeting is a monthly meeting of the police chief, deputy police chief, assistant police chiefs, all district commanders, and all section commanders. Media outreach: An extensive media campaign was conducted along with the paid advertising that was provided by the Department of Transportation. Five press releases were issued as part of the campaign. Mayor Harry Kim, signed a proclamation on May 21, 2004 to begin the campaign. A Click It or Ticker segment was also produced and aired on "Living In Paradise", a local television show aired on cable television. This spot featured Traffic Enforcement Officers providing information on the Click It or Ticket program and ~ enforcement dates. Spots aired from the beginning of May through June. Community Awareness: Two Click It or Ticket 3 on 3 Basketball Tournaments were held. The first was in Kona from May 7-8 and the second in Hilo from May 21-23. The goal of these tournaments was to increase awareness of youth seat belt laws. 102 teams consisting of over 650 youth ages6-18 participated. 1000 Click It or Ticket t-shirts were distributed to participants, coaches and volunteers at the events. Click It or Ticket medals will also be presented to the top three finishing teams in each division. Media releases were issued in conjunction with the events. In addition, over 20 Click It or Ticket banners were displayed at retail establishments, service stations, schools and various other locations. Schools: A Click It or Ticket morning announcement was conducted at DOE schools island- wide. Information of the mobilization was provided during the first week of the mobilization. HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT TRAFFIC SERVICES SECTION SERGEANT RANDY K. APELE PHONE: 961-2305 MAY 21, 2004 t Ii ~M ~ r~ M 111111 • ,z,.. CLICK IT OR TICKET -Mayor Harry Kim presents a proclamation declaring May 24-June 6 as "National Click It or Ticket Campaign" in Hawaii County to Officer Wendall Carter of the Traffic Enforcement Unit. MEDIA RELEASE Mayor Harry Kim has declared May 24-June 6, 2004, as "National Click It or Ticket Campaign" on the Big Island to encourage the use of seat belts. The mayor signed the proclamation Friday (May 21, 2004) in his office and presented it to Officer Wendall Carter of the Traffic Enforcement Unit. The proclamation notes that 35 people died on Hawaii County roads last year, saying about "approximately half would still be alive if they had worn their seat belts." The proclamation further encourages all drivers to "make sure that everyone in their car is buckled up every time they drive." The police departments of Hawaii's four counties have joined more than 13,000 law enforcement agencies nationwide to get out the message of "Click It or Ticket," a national campaign aimed at encouraging people, especially young people, to buckle up for safety. The federally funded "Click It or Ticket Mobilization" targets the most at-risk drivers teens and young adults. "One of the greatest fears for any parent is the day when their child becomes a teenager and wants to drive the family car," said Sergeant Randy Apele, head of the Traffic Services Section. "While they may be old enough to obtain a license, that hardly means they are ready for the responsibilities of the road. Caught in a lethal intersection of inexperience and risk-taking, teens are killed at alarming rates in crashes they could have survived had they been wearing a seat belt. "So how do you get teens to buckle up when they think tragedy won't happen to them? You threaten them with a ticket and then back it up with strong enforcement of seat belt laws." Apele said that's exactly what Big Island police will be doing during the two-week national mobilization. "We'll be surrounding them with the message, "Click It or Ticket: If you won't buckle up to save your life, then buckle up to save yourself a ticket," Apele said. During the campaign, Big Island police will intensify efforts to enforce safety belt laws and child passenger safety laws by increasing checkpoints and other measures, Apele said. Drivers failing to restrain themselves and their passengers will be ticketed, he said. He noted: "When it comes to seat belts, years of research and, unfortunately, many thousands of lives lost show us that America's young people won't respond to threats of injury or death, but they do respond to the threat of a ticket." According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nationwide, 4,530 persons 16 to 19 years of age were killed in traffic crashes during 2002. "Many of them could have survived if only they had buckled up," the agency said. aa~ HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT TRAFFIC SERVICES SECTION SERGEANT RANDY K. APELE PHONE: 961-2305 JUNE 1, 2004 MEDIA RELEASE Big Island police issued 404 citations for failure to use seat belts and 11 for failure to use child restraints during the first week of the department's "Click It or Ticket Campaign." In addition, officers issued 310 citations for moving and regulatory violations and made two arrests during the period of May 24-30, 2004, at 49 seat belt checkpoints located at various locations around the island. The Big Island effort is part of a nationwide campaign to encourage the use of seat belts and child restraints. The national "Click It or Ticket Mobilization," funded by the federal government, will continue through Sunday (June 6, 2004). Meanwhile, the University of Hawaii's Department of Urban and Regional Planning is currently conducting its annual seat belt use survey, Sergeant Randy Apele, head of the Traffic Services Section, announced. The study, which will continue for several weeks, involves the use of trained observers to monitor the use of seat belts at various sites around the island. Observation teams are parking on the side of the road and are positioned so they will not obstruct the flow of traffic. To increase visibility to drivers, the observers are wearing safety helmets and vests. Motorists are advised to watch for the observers and exercise caution when driving near them. The 24 observation sites are at the following locations: Kuakini Highway at Hualalai Road; Kuakini Highway at Hawaii Belt Road; Hawaii Belt Road at City of Refuge Road; Hawaii Belt Road at Oshiro Road; Kanoelehua Avenue at Kawailani Street; Kanoelehua Avenue at Hualani Street; Queen Kaahumanu Highway at Hapuna Bay Road; Kawaihae Road at Queen Kaahumanu Highway; Hawaii Belt Road at Laupahoehoe Police Station Road; Kamehameha Avenue at Kalanianaole Street; Keaau-Pahoa Road by the Pahoa Post Office; Alii Drive at Kamehameha III Road; Palani Road at Queen Kaahumanu Highway; Kohala Mountain Road at Scenic Point; Kaumana Drive at Komohana Street; Wal-Mart in Hilo; Wal-Mart in Kona; Kona Coast Shopping Center; Punahele at Halai; Malaai Road at Hoaka Road; Hind Road at Captain Cook; Kalani Street at Kalawa Street; Pakalana at Lehua; and Hawaii Belt Road at South Point Road. aaa HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT TRAFFIC SERVICES SECTION SERGEANT RANDY K. APELE PHONE: 961-2305 JUNE 10, 2004 MEDIA RELEASE Big Island police issued 698 citations for failure to use seat belts and 23 for failure to use child restraints during the department's "Click It or Ticket Campaign." During the period of May 24-June 6, 2004, officers also issued 646 citations for moving and regulatory violations and made 16 arrests, including two for impaired driving, at 97 seat belt checkpoints located a various locations around the island. The Big Island effort was part of a nationwide "Click It or Ticket Mobilization," funded by the federal government to encourage the use of seat belts and child restraints. "A seat belt is your No. 1 protection against injury or death in a motor vehicle crash," said Sergeant Randy Apele of the Traffic Services Section. "Thanks to these Click It or Ticket mobilizations, our usage rate for Hawaii County is at an all-time high of 95 percent. That's a lot of lives saved and injuries prevented." Police will continue to conduct seat belt checkpoints islandwide to encourage continued seat belt use, he said. #ua HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT TRAFFIC SERVICES SECTION SERGEANT RANDY K. APELE PHONE: 961-2305 JUNE 30, 2004 MEDIA RELEASE Hawaii County has the second highest rate of seat belt usage in the state, according to statistics compiled by the University of Hawaii during the "Click It or Ticket" seat belt enforcement campaign earlier this month. During the campaign, held May 24-June 26, the Big Island's seat belt usage rate was measured at 96.05 percent, second only to that of Maui County, which had 97.2 percent. In addition, the state had a seat belt usage rate of 95 percent, the first state in the nation to reach that percentage of seat belt use. The 96.05 percent rate for the Big Island included a 96.38 percent rate for drivers and a 96.03 percent rate for passengers. Commenting on the county's high rate of seat belt usage, Sergeant Randy Apele, head of the Traffic Services Section, said: "We in the Police Department want to congratulate the public for wisely choosing to use their seat belts. "National statistics have shown that the use of seat belts is the single most effective act that drivers can do to protect themselves in a traffic crash. Of the 85 persons who died in motor vehicle accidents last year in the state, about half of them were not wearing their seat belts." Hawaii's current seat belt law, which took effect in December 1985, requires the buckling up of all front-seat occupants as well as all back-seat passengers under the age of 18. In addition, Hawaii's child passenger restraint law requires children under four years of age to ride in a child safety seat in the back seat. Violators of the seat belt law face a fine of $77. Violators of Hawaii's Child Passenger Restraint Law are required to attend afour- hour class and may be assessed a fine ranging from $100 to $500, depending on the number of offenses. Apele said Big Island police will continue to conduct seat belt checkpoints island-wide to encourage the continued use of seat belts and child restraints.