Motorists who refuse to wear their safety belts – beware. The 2013 national Click It or Ticket safety belt enforcement mobilization kicks off May 20 to help save lives by cracking down on those who don’t buckle up.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 52 percent of the 21,253 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2011 were not wearing their safety belts at the time of the crash. In 2012, of the fatal crashes where safety belt information was known, 61 percent of the people killed on Ohio’s roadways were not wearing a safety restraint.
“Too many drivers and passengers are not wearing their safety belts, and it all too often ends in tragedy,” said Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Thomas P. Charles. “Our goal is to save more lives; therefore, our law enforcement partners will be out enforcing safety belt laws around the clock.”
More than 900 law enforcement partners around Ohio, including the Ohio State Highway Patrol, will be aggressively enforcing the law during the mobilization, which runs May 20 – June 2.
“It’s simple – safety belts save lives and reduce injury in crashes,” said Colonel John Born, superintendent of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. “It is the easiest thing you can do to protect yourself, your family and your friends.”
In 2011, safety belts saved an estimated 11,949 lives nationwide according to NHTSA. While this year’s Click It or Ticket enforcement mobilization runs through June 2, troopers will continue their zero tolerance policy year-round when motorists are stopped for other violations and are found to not be wearing their safety belt.
Troopers ask that you wear your safety belt every time and insist that those who travel with you buckle-up as well. Law enforcement and other safety partners will be holding awareness events and educational activities to stress the importance of safety belt use around the state during the mobilization.
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