The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration raised awareness about seat belt safety to area residents during the Click It or Ticket high-visibility seat belt enforcement campaign, held May 20 through June 2. Law enforcement officers wrote a total of 14 citations for seat belt violations in the process. The campaign, which coincided with the Memorial Day holiday, was twofold: to combine increased enforcement and a zero-tolerance policy, with effective communication to road users on the importance of seat belt use.
“This year’s Click It or Ticket campaign was a success,” said Chief Derrick Lawalin. “Through our enforcement efforts, we believe we helped keep community members safe and reminded drivers of the importance of buckling up. Issuing tickets was not our goal, but it was a way to remind people of the importance of such a simple action.” “As you can see, only 14 citations were written during the enforcement period, which equates to most drivers having been found to be wearing their seatbelts.”
The national seat belt use rate in 2023 was 91.9%. The Click It or Ticket campaign is focusing on the remaining 8.1% who still don’t buckle up. Thousands of lives could be saved each year if every person was properly restrained on the road. According to NHTSA, more than half of the passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in 2021 were unrestrained.
For more information on the Click It or Ticket, please visit NHTSA.gov/ClickIt.
