Buckle up and save a life! That’s the message Merriam police officers want to get out as they prepare for a weeklong seatbelt enforcement program. 

Starting Oct. 29, Merriam police officers will patrol local elementary schools as part of “Ticket or Treat.” They will look for seatbelt violators during school drop off and pick up times in an effort to promote the importance of seatbelt usage.

Officers will issue tickets to anyone who violates the seatbelt law. Fines start at $30 for adults and $60 plus court costs for kids up to age 13.

The Merriam Police Department is partnering with the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) and other law enforcement agencies across the state. According to a 2017 KDOT study, 98 percent of children are properly restrained when the driver of their vehicle is wearing a seatbelt. Only 29 percent of children are properly restrained when the driver isn’t buckled.

“Ticket or Treat” runs through Nov. 2.