The Benton Police Department joins national law enforcement officers and highway safety advocates all across the country for the 2014 national Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement mobilization, May 19th-June 1st. During the mobilization, officers will be cracking down on motorists who fail to wear their seat belts – both day and night. “We will be out in force to remind drivers and occupants to always wear their seat belts,” said Lt. Kevin Russell.
Regardless of the vehicle, seat belts save lives — In 2011, NHTSA statistics show that 21,253 occupants of passenger cars, trucks, vans and SUVs were killed in motor vehicle crashes nationwide— and 52 percent were NOT wearing seat belts at the time of the fatal crashes.
High-visibility enforcement such as the Click It or Ticket mobilization is credited with increasing the national belt usage rate from 58 percent in 1994 to an observed usage rate of 85 percent in 2010. Belt use saves thousands of lives each year across America. In 2009 alone, seat belts saved an estimated 12,713 lives nationwide.
The lifetime costs of crash-related deaths and injuries among drivers and passengers was approximately $70 billion in 2005. This number included property damages, lost productivity, and medical bills as a result of traffic crashes. Seat belts can help dramatically by reducing serious crash-related injuries and deaths by approximately 50%.
“Law enforcement will be cracking down on Click It or Ticket violators around the clock. Local motorists should be prepared to buckle up. If law enforcement finds you on the road unbuckled anytime or anywhere, you can expect to get a ticket — not a warning. No excuses and no exceptions,” said Lt. Russell.
Remember this May 19th to June 1st: It’s Click It or Ticket. Buckle up and encourage your loved ones to do the same. You’ll save the cost of a ticket and you may even save a life.
*Sources: www.cdc.gov, www.nhtsa.gov
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