Reogas informs Haleyville Council about new state laws

HALEYVILLE - Haleyville city officials have a simple message for motorists:  slow down and obey traffic laws.
Haleyville City Council member Drew Thrasher asked Haleyville Police Chief Kyle Reogas to address the council during a recent meeting about new laws involving seat belt usage and littering that went into effect.  Thrasher also had a strong message for motorists.
“Obey the stop signs and red lights.  The state has come in and made adjustments to the red lights on Highway 13.  There is a longer wait time on Ninth Avenue, Eighth Avenue and Dime Road,”  Thrasher said.
Thrasher added that he had personally witnessed motorists running these red lights and driving through parking lots to avoid these red lights
“We don’t need to have another serious crash.  We’ve had too many recently,”  Thrasher said.
Reogas then described the new laws.  When it comes to seat belts, all vehicle occupants must be buckled under the new law that went into effect Sept. 1.
“It used to be that only those in the front seat.  The new law says all occupants, front and back seats, must be buckled in,”  Reogas said.
The new litter law has changed the offense from a Class C to a Class B misdemeanor, Reogas told the council.
“The fine went up.  It can be up to $3,000.  Jail time can be up to six months.  There is a mandatory community service time imposed on those who are convicted,”  Reogas said.
“If you want to throw your garbage out the window, if we catch you and convict you, we will let you pick up garbage on the roadside.  If you throw it down, you can pick it up,”  Reogas added.
Reogas said that if someone sees a person littering and can get the person’s tag number, it can be reported to Haleyville Police.  However, he stressed that littering cases are difficult because it is hard to catch someone in the act.
“If we get that same tag two or three times, we will really have to do something about it,”  Reogas said.