Jam Don't Slam 2006
More than 100 law enforcement officials from Northeast Ohio’s communities gathered at the House of Blues in Cleveland on Thursday to tell motorists, “Click It or Ticket.”
The effort is part of the nationwide Click It or Ticket campaign to increase seat belt use. During the mobilization efforts, motorists caught disobeying Ohio’s traffic laws while not wearing seat belts will get two tickets and two fines. Drivers who are stopped for a traffic violation such as speeding during the mobilization period will be given a second citation if they are not in compliance with the state’s seat belt law.
Speakers included Gary Adams, President of the Greater Cleveland Automobile Dealers Association - the sponsor of the event.. Adams talked about the importance of wearing a seatbelt even with advances in automobile safety engineering. Patrolman Gabriel Smolik, Olmsted Township Police Department, spoke on behalf of the Cuyahoga County SRAD/DUI Task Force, and discussed the Task Force's planned enforcement efforts over the Click It or Ticket period. Dr. Frank Miller, forensic pathologist at the Cuyahoga County Coroner's Office, spoke about the young victims killed by motor vehicle crashes that come through his office, and how seat belts could have saved many of those.
As part of the press conference at the House of Blues, five local high school musicians competed in the finals performing their original songs promoting safety belt usage.The finalists included: Ryan Clinkscales, Richmond Hts. High School, “Click it or Ticket”; Erika Vargas, Mayfield High School, “You Hold Me Back”; Jillian O’Brian and Sara Czukal, Mayfield High School, “Buckle Up”; Cody Schmidt, East Lake North High School, “Seat Belt Song”; and Matt McNamara, Mayfield High School, “The Seat Belt Song."
Ryan Clinkscales won the contest and received a session at a professional recording studio courtesy of EDR Media. Erika Vargas won second place and received a Fender Stratocaster guitar courtesy of Lentines Music.
In Ohio last year, more than 131,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes; 1,326 of those accidents were fatal. About two-thirds of those fatality victims were not wearing seat belts. Motor vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of death of motorists and passengers from the ages three to 33 in the United States
Special thanks to the Greater Cleveland Automobile Dealers Association (GCADA) for sponsoring the Click It or Ticket event at the House of Blues, and to Lentine's Music and EDR Media for sponsoring the Jam! Don't Slam! Songwriting Contest
| 
