Buffalo Grove has joined three other northwest suburbs in requiring that all passengers in a motor vehicle wear seat belts.
The new ordinance, passed at this week’s Village Board meeting, also allows police to stop drivers for not wearing seat belts.
Before, police could only write a no-seat-belt ticket if a driver was stopped for another offense, such as speeding. The stricter seat-belt rules will take effect immediately, but probably won’t be enforced until this fall, Police Chief Leo McCann said. In the meantime, violators will get warnings.
“Our policy is, we start with an education campaign, and we wouldn’t be issuing citations for a couple months,” McCann said. The seat-belt law may be advertised on Buffalo Grove’s vehicle stickers.
Mayor Sidney Mathias also suggested placing signs around the village.
Buffalo Grove joins Wheeling, Lincolnshire and Deerfield in passing the tough seat-belt ordinance. McCann said he hopes the state legislature will follow suit.
