JCPD to participate in two special enforcement campaigns

Jefferson City Police Department patrol car (News Tribune file photo)
Jefferson City Police Department patrol car (News Tribune file photo)


The Jefferson City Police Department will join other law enforcement agencies across Missouri in participating in two special enforcement campaigns.

Through March 31, authorities statewide will participate in a youth seat belt campaign to enforce Missouri's seat belt law and reduce highway fatalities.

Under the Graduated Driver's License (GDL) law, teens are required to wear a seat belt as well as all occupants in the vehicle for the teen driver's license to be valid. The teen driver seat belt use for 2020 (most recent data) was only 75.5 percent; much lower than the state percentage of 86 percent and the national percentage of 91 percent seat belt use.

The second special enforcement starts Wednesday and runs through March 20 as law enforcement agencies across the state will be doing increased DWI saturation patrols.

Authorities said 222 people died and 716 people were injured in traffic crashes that involved at least one impaired driver in 2020.