OFF THE WIRE
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2011/06/police_in_onondaga_county_targ.html
Police in Onondaga County targeting motorcyclists
Published: Thursday, June 02, 2011, 7:56 AM Updated: Thursday, June 02, 2011, 9:06 AM By Charley Hannagan / The Post-Standard
Syracuse, NY -- Police agencies in Onondaga County will be looking for illegal motorcycle helmets and unsafe riders as they emphasize motorcycle safety during June.
This is the fourth month of an Onondaga County Traffic Safety Advisory Board campaign that targets a different traffic safety issue each month. So far, state police, sheriff’s deputies and local police have targeted illegal window tinting, the use of cell phones and electronic devices while driving, and seat belts and child restraints.
See previous coverage.
In June, police will aggressively target motorcycle drivers. They will be specifically looking for illegal helmets, drivers not wearing glasses or having a helmet visor down, unlicensed drivers, unregistered bikes, stunt and aggressive driving, and speeding, said North Syracuse Police Officer Jeff Tripp, speaking for the safety board.
Helmets are illegal if they don’t have the letters “DOT” clearly visible on the rear to indicate that they meet federal safety standards, he said. Illegal helmets, sometimes called skullcaps, don’t have proper padding to protect the wearer’s head, Tripp said.
The final numbers of tickets issued for May’s targeted enforcement of seat belts and child restraints should be available soon, he said.
In April, police issued 3,012 tickets in Onondaga County to motorists who used their cell phone or portable electronic device while driving.
In the upcoming months police will target: speeding and failure to move over for emergency vehicles on the side of the road; stop signs, pedestrian and crosswalk safety; speeding in a school zone and passing school buses; cell phone and texting; seat belts and child restraints; and impaired driving.
