Chandler police crack down on seatbelt use

CHANDLER, AZ - Chandler police are spending a lot of money on a new seatbelt crackdown in the Valley.

They're using a $60,000 grant from the Governor's Office of Highway Safety to encourage seatbelt use in order to save lives and cut down on crashes.

More people are skipping seatbelts than you might think.

According to the Arizona Department of Transportation, more Arizonans were injured in crashes where they weren't wearing seatbelts last year than crashes that involved alcohol.

The holiday months are the busiest time of the year on the roads.

Chandler Police officers know it's a hectic time of year and folks have a lot on their minds, but say now is not the time to forget to buckle up.

ADOT statistics show last December there were more crashes in Arizona than any other month.

Chandler Police Detective Seth Tyler said this time of year they see an increase in minor crashes around shopping malls and folks need to be more courteous on the roads.

And here's some national statistics to consider before heading out of the holidays. 

Saturdays tend to be the deadliest days on the road and the peak hours for crashes are 3-6 p.m.