Seat belt crackdown starts Sunday

The Kootenai County Sheriff's department is stepping up efforts to make sure drivers are buckling up.

The department announced it will be participating in a seat belt emphasis patrol beginning Sunday through June 5.

Deputies will be at locations throughout the county focusing on moving violations and strictly enforcing seat belt requirements to help reduce the number of crashes in Kootenai County.

The beefed up seat belt patrols are being sponsored by the Idaho Department of Transportation.

Driving or riding in a vehicle without a seat belt or safety restraint is illegal in Idaho, but it is not a primary offense.

While a law enforcement officer can issue a ticket solely for a safety restraint violation, Idaho law requires that there must be another violation leading to the traffic stop.