Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) recently released their January traffic safety spotlight results. For the month of January, Police issued 447 tickets to drivers and passengers for seat belts and car seats across the province.

The breakdown of that total includes: 380 tickets issued to drivers not wearing a seatbelt, 47 tickets issued to passengers not wearing a seatbelt, and 20 tickets issued to drivers for children not restrained in the correct booster or car seat.

Discover Weyburn spoke with Deputy Police Chief Brent VanDeSype with the Weyburn Police Service (WPS) about the numbers for Weyburn.

VanDeSype explained that only one charge was laid by WPS during the month of January for failing to wear a seatbelt.

"Quite often a driver or passenger failing to wear their seatbelt is warned for the infraction if the traffic stop results in multiple infractions. For example, an officer notices a vehicle that failed to stop for a stop sign and then also discovers the driver or passenger was not wearing a seatbelt."

He shared that the driver or passenger may receive a ticket for the initial infraction of failing to stop at a stop sign and be given a warning for failing to wear a seatbelt.

The fine for each of those tickets is $175, and SGI added that seatbelt tickets also come with three demerit points, which can lead to additional financial penalties or loss of insurance discounts under the Safe Driver Recognition program.