Oct 29, 2009 5:23 pm US/Central
Hickory Hills Police Reward Seatbelt Users
Those Who Wear Seatbelts Get Fast Food Coupons; Those Without Get "Click It Or Ticket" Pencil
HICKORY HILLS, Ill. (CBS) ―
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Hickory Hills police officers handed out fast food coupons to motorists who were wearing seatbelts.
CBS
You're stopped at a red light and a cop approaches your window. Your first thought is you'd be getting a ticket, right? But as CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot reports, in Hickory Hills, they're passing out something that's making drivers happy.
Hickory Hills Police Officer Scott Sodaro was armed with freebies for seatbelt-wearing citizens he approached at red lights.
"I see you're wearing your seat belt, so you know what? You each get a free six-inch sub from Subway sandwiches, just for wearing seatbelts," Sodaro told a motorist.
This is the seventh year the Department is passing out free coupons to law-abiding motorists.
"If I knew I was gonna get a free Frosty every time, I'd make sure I kept going around and around. It's a wonderful thing," said motorist Joe Kowalcze.
Area businesses gave the officers 2,000 certificates for free food items.
"I'm like the CSI for fatal accidents, so I have to go pick up the pieces and if I don't ever have to do another reconstruction as long as I live, because everybody is wearing their seatbelt, I'd be just fine with that," Sodaro said.
Those who weren't wearing seatbelts received a pencil with the words, "CLICK IT OR TICKET" printed on it.
"Better than getting a ticket, man. Nobody likes to get a ticket. Tickets are terrible, especially over here," said motorist Mike Zmeico.
The "click it or ticket" message in Illinois seems to be working. Right now, the Illinois Department of Transportation predicts that this year the state will have the lowest number of traffic deaths since 1923.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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