Not only did Lombard police issue 730 tickets to those not wearing seat belts during the two weeks of seat belt enforcement checkpoints, they said they potentially prevented other crimes from being committed.

Lombard Police Chief Raymond Byrne called the two-week event “very productive.”

“We knew we were going to be writing seat belt tickets,” Byrne said. “We also made two felony arrests, nine misdemeanors and stopped 50 uninsured motorists.”

Byrne said officers also recovered a gun from one of the cars stopped at a checkpoint.
Two shifts of four Lombard officers patrolled the streets in enforcement areas, including sites at North Avenue and Interstate 355, Finley Road and Roosevelt Road, and other locations from May 16 to June 1.

“We worked a lot more hours than we usually do, so we’re not surprised at the number,” Lombard police officer Joe Grage said.

He said officers were checking seat belts for more than 430 hours, twice the usual number of hours for the checkpoints.

Another 20 tickets were issued for child safety seat violations.

“That’s 20 kids that potentially could have been saved from serious injury,” Byrne said.

In the first time of having nighttime seat belt enforcement zones, Grage said they wrote 36 seat belt tickets in the 60 hours of nighttime enforcement. He said it is harder to see if a seat belt is on at night.

The fine for a seat belt violation is $55 if paid through the mail, or at least $165 if taken to court, according to Grage.

Grage said he heard reasons and excuses from people on why they weren’t wearing their seat belt.

He said he let a man with just one arm pass by with just a warning.

“If the guy can’t buckle his seat belt because he’s missing his arm, I give him a break,” Grage said.

The excuse that sticks Grage’s mind the most he said is the excuse given by more than 10 people.

“‘I’m too fat to wear my seat belt,’” Grage said.