Buffalo Grove Police Hand Out 43 Seat Belt Tickets Over Labor Day Weekend

When the long‑weekend rolled around, Buffalo Grove police swapped fireworks for flashing lights, rolling out a focused traffic‑safety sweep that stretched from Friday night through Monday afternoon.

In total, officers wrote 43 seat‑belt citations. Eleven of those came after the sun set, a reminder that even under the glow of streetlamps the law still expects buckles to be fastened.

The crackdown didn’t stop at seat belts. A further 31 tickets were handed out for a mix of moving violations—speeding, illegal turns and the usual run‑ins that pepper any busy suburb.

“Through the Labor Day safety campaign, we helped to make our roads safer and spread the word about the risks of impaired driving — ‘It’s Not a Game,’” Sgt. Meghan Hansen explained, her tone earnest yet familiar, as if talking to neighbors at a block party.

This effort was part of a larger, statewide push that combines the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Drive High? Get a DUI” initiatives, with local officers teaming up with Illinois highway‑safety partners. The well‑known “Click It or Ticket” program also got a spotlight, urging drivers to buckle up before they even think about hitting the gas.

Funding for the campaign flowed from federal highway‑safety dollars administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation, underscoring how national resources can trickle down to protect a single community’s streets.

Police hope the numbers speak for themselves: fewer distracted drivers, fewer impaired motorists, and a clearer message that safety isn’t optional—it’s the law.