ITHACA, N.Y. -- This week, Nov. 22-28, Cornell University Police joins police agencies across New York state in a "zero tolerance" wave of enforcement of state seat-belt laws. There will be checkpoints and saturation patrols aimed at ticketing drivers and front-seat passengers without seat belts and drivers who fail to properly restrain their child passengers.

This Thanksgiving, the seat-belt enforcement push will continue to place a special emphasis on teens and young adults. These drivers, national statistics show, are the least likely to buckle up. Cornell Police continues to participate in these enforcement efforts because research shows that repeating waves of high-visibility enforcement saves lives.

Currently, about 85 percent of New Yorkers always buckle up. While this is higher than the national average, the state "Click It or Ticket" campaign is intended to increase that use rate to 90 percent. It is estimated that between 30 and 40 percent of highway deaths involve motorists who are not using seat belts. This is a higher percentage than traffic deaths involving alcohol or excess speed. A person is twice as likely to be killed in a traffic crash if not properly restrained.

Many people will be driving during the Thanksgiving holiday and Cornell Police wants to ensure a safe journey.

The Cornell Police effort is aided by a grant from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Governor's Traffic Safety Committee.