By Rupert Howell
If you drive in Panola County, especially in the City of Sardis, you better buckle-up and make sure your children are restrained as both entities’ law enforcement agencies have applied for grants to help enforce seat belt and child restraint laws.

Action came in Sardis at their regular meeting following a request from SPD Chief Chris Martin and in Panola County on Monday at a regular board of supervisors’ meeting at the request of sheriff Dennis Darby.

Sardis alderman Bonnie Smith commented that the grant need not be used as an excuse to write tickets with Chief Martin later noting that the purpose of the grant was to enforce the law and save lives.

Both Martin and Sheriff Darby noted that a minimum amount of tickets are required with Martin telling his board that his officer working traffic at the school that morning could have fulfilled much of the requirement.

Supervisors at Monday’s meeting approved the grant application process without discussion.
Sheriff Department administrative assistant Robbie Haley said Wednesday that the grant is actually to pay overtime to officers on details to enforce the seatbelt and child restraint laws.
According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Association, in 2010 64.1% of people killed in automobile accidents in Mississippi were not wearing a seat belt, which is 22.1% higher than the national average.