Public safety citations not out of norm
Students at Georgia College & State University have been complaining about an increase in citations from Public Safety for playing loud music and not wearing safety belts.
According to Deputy Director of Public Safety Richard Goodson, this so-called increase is overblown.
“I don’t think we [now] write that many more [citations] numbers-wise, but we do enforce these laws,” Goodson said. “It’s hard to say. We have always enforced seatbelt laws stringently, and we have always pretty much enforced noise violations.”
As far as safety belts are concerned, Goodson maintained these violations are not committed primarily by college students, and that these numbers represent all downtown motorists.
Records obtained from the GC&SU Department of Public Safety show a total of 74 safety belt citations given out in Milledgeville in the past year, mostly on Hancock and Montgomery streets.
A press release from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety states that safety belt use in the state increased in 2004, and Georgia’s usage rate is now at 86.7 percent, the highest in the South.
Traffic violations for playing loud music were written in the City of Milledgeville during the past year, also heaviest on Hancock and Montgomery streets.
Georgia State Law 40-6-14 states it is unlawful for any person operating or occupying a motor vehicle on a street or highway to operate or amplify the sound from within the vehicle so it is plainly audible at a distance of 100 feet or more from the motor vehicle.
Goodson admitted that noise violations usually concerned students, but that it was of no surprise considering their jurisdiction.
“We [ticket] a lot of people cruising Green Street,” Goodson said. “Our jurisdiction primarily concerns college students.”
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Sep 24 2004. Filed under News.
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