‘Click It or Ticket’ seat belt enforcement campaign launching statewide

Jasper- The Jasper Police Department is joining agencies from across the state to urge drivers to buckle up during the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic  Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) national Click It or Ticket high-visibility enforcement effort. 

The national seat belt campaign, which coincides with the Memorial Day holiday, runs from  May 22 to June 4, 2023. The overtime patrols are funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety  Administration (NHTSA) with grants administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute  (ICJI). 

“We want seat belt use to be an automatic habit for drivers and passengers alike,” said Assistant  Chief Aaron Persohn. “It’s not just a safe thing to do — it’s the law. During the Click It or Ticket campaign, we’ll be working with our fellow law enforcement officers across local and state lines  

to ensure the message gets out to drivers and passengers. Buckling up is the simplest thing you  can do to limit injury or save your life during a crash. We see the results of not wearing a seat  belt all the time. We see the loss of life. So often, it could have been prevented.” 

Data from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI) shows that unbuckled motorists make up  almost 40% of all passenger vehicle deaths in the state. Since the “Click It or Ticket” initiative  began more than 20 years ago, seat belt use has gone up over 30% in Indiana to 93%, which  remains higher than the national average of 91.6%. 

Despite making progress and advances in vehicle safety, in 2022, 236 unbuckled vehicle  occupants lost their lives on Indiana roads – the third highest in the past decade. Young drivers,  especially males, were the most likely to speed and the least likely to be buckled during a crash. 

“These numbers are not just statistics, they represent real people and families that have been  forever changed by the tragedy of a traffic crash,” said Devon McDonald, ICJI Executive  Director. “Many of the people we lost would still be alive today had they made the decision to  buckle up. Seat belts make a difference. They save lives.” 

In 2021, 57% of passenger vehicle occupants killed at night (6 p.m.–5:59 a.m.) were not wearing  their seat belts. That’s why one focus of the Click It or Ticket campaign is nighttime  enforcement.

During the campaign, participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses  approach to seat belt law enforcement, writing citations day and night. Drivers can be cited for  lack of seat belt use, as well as for each unbuckled passenger under the age of 16. 

“No matter the type of vehicle you’re driving in or the type of road you’re driving on, the safest  way to stay safe in case of a vehicle crash is to wear your seat belt,” said Assistant Chief Aaron  Persohn. “Unfortunately, many families are suffering because their loved ones refused to follow  this simple step.” 

NHTSA data shows that seat belt use is higher among females than males. In fact, nearly twice  as many males were killed in crashes as compared to females in 2021. Of the males killed in  crashes during that same year, more than half (54%) were unrestrained. For females killed in  crashes, 42% were not buckled up. 

“If the enforcement effort alerts people to the dangers of unrestrained driving, we’ll consider our  mission to be a success,” said Assistant Chief Aaron Persohn. “If you know a friend or a family  member who does not buckle up when they drive, please ask them to consider changing their  habits. Help us spread this lifesaving message before one more friend or family member is killed  as a result of not buckling up. Seat belts save lives, and everyone — front seat and back, child  and adult — needs to remember to buckle up.” 

Since the “Click It or Ticket” initiative began more than 20 years ago, seat belt use has gone up  30% in Indiana to 92.9%, which is slightly higher than the national average of 91.6%. 

Research has repeatedly demonstrated the safety benefits of seat belts and the dangerous  consequences when people choose not to use them. Buckling up can reduce the risk of injury or  death in a crash by up to 65%. Without a seat belt fastened, people can be ejected from a vehicle  and killed, and that risk increases if the driver is speeding or impaired. 

Tragically, vehicle collisions continue to be a leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 13,  and NHTSA data shows that approximately 46% of all car seats are being used incorrectly.  Parents and caregivers who do not buckle up are more likely to have kids who are improperly  restrained. 

"The loss of a child due to inadequate vehicle safety measures is a tragedy. However, it is also  preventable," said Jim Bryan, ICJI Traffic Safety Director. "We owe it to our children to  prioritize their safety and take every necessary precaution when it comes to their well-being.” 

Indiana law requires the driver and all passengers to buckle up. Children under age eight must be  properly restrained in a child car seat or booster seat according to the child restraint system  manufacturer’s instructions.

Parents and caregivers are encouraged to make sure children are in the right car seat and that it’s  used correctly and properly installed. Resources can be found at www.nhtsa.gov/TheRightSeat.  To schedule an appointment with a certified car seat safety technician at one of Indiana’s fitting  stations, visit on.in.gov/SafeKids. 

For more information on the Click It or Ticket mobilization, please visit NHTSA.gov/ciot.