(Southeastern IN) – With Memorial Day marking the unofficial start of summer travel, local and state law enforcement agencies have kicked off stepped up patrols to crack down on those who don’t buckle up.
It’s part of the national “Click It or Ticket” enforcement campaign that runs now through the end of this month.
Extra officers are on overtime patrols making sure drivers and passengers are buckling up and children are properly secured.
Participating law enforcement agencies say they’ll be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement.
“To kick off the summer travel season, it’s critical to remind all motorists that wearing a seatbelt is not just the law; it’s something that can save your life,” said Douglas Huntsinger, Executive Director for the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. “Our goal is simple – we want everyone to make it home safely. Buckling up is the first step in achieving that goal.”
This high-visibility enforcement campaign is funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration through grants administered by ICJI.
Indiana continues to see strong compliance with its seat belt laws.
ICJI’s latest observational survey found that 93.6% of Indiana drivers wear their seatbelts. The agency says while this is encouraging, there is still work to be done to reach the remaining 6.4% of drivers who put themselves at risk.
To reinforce the message, state traffic safety leaders are reminding people why the laws exist in the first place.
“Seat belts are one of the simplest, most effective ways to protect yourself on the road,” said Jim Bryan, Traffic Safety Director for ICJI. “Putting on a seat belt takes just a few seconds but can make all the difference in the event of a crash. If you’re not buckled up, you are taking a dangerous risk.”
Research consistently shows that seat belts can reduce the risk of injury or death in a crash by up to 65%.
Without one, people are at a higher risk of being ejected from a vehicle, which can lead to fatal outcomes.
For more information about seat belt safety, visit on.in.gov/seatbelt.
