In the last few months, Natchez officials say they have seen seat belt usage increase by 6 percent.

Last week, police conducted a study and determined 45 percent of Natchez residents were wearing seatbelts.

In May, that number was only 39 percent.

&uot;In a couple of months we’ve come a long way,&uot; said Angie Brown of the Natchez Police&160;Department.

Officials checked seat belt usage in 10 areas of the city for the study in May and then checked the same 10 areas last week.

&uot;Each (site) had increased — some as little as one percent, some as much as 22 percent,&uot; Brown said.

Brown said officers encouraged this increase with enforcement. One officer has been dedicated to working only traffic issues, such as speeding or child restraint violations.

Officers will also be doing extra traffic enforcement during Labor Day.

&uot;We’re trying to focus on some areas where we had low usage rates,&uot; Brown said, but added officers have been enforcing seat belt usage in the entire city.

Areas patrolled include John R. Junkin Drive, U.S. 61 South, Wilson Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Street.

Statewide, the seat belt usage rate is about 55 to 66 percent. It is about 70 percent nationwide.

But Brown said 6 percent is a good start for Natchez in increasing the local rate. Officers have only increased enforcement to improve that rate, she said .

&uot;I think a 6 percent increase is wonderful,&uot; Brown said

The police department is also going to start educational programs in Natchez schools this year,&160;Brown said.

The Natchez Police Department received a $10,000 grant from the Mississippi Office of Highway Safety to help increase seatbelt usage.

The money provides salary for the officer designated to deal with traffic violations.

State law requires all children less than 8-years-old to wear seat belts or ride in a child safety seat.

Children less than 4 years old must be fastened in a child-safety seat.

Violators can be fined and since a child-restraint violation is a primary offense, officers can stop a vehicle carrying an unrestrained child even if the driver has not committed any other traffic violation.