Police want to enforce seatbelt laws during “Click it or Ticket” campaign

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH)– Starting Monday, over 200 state and local police agencies will be increasing patrols as a part of the national “Click it or Ticket” campaign before Memorial Day weekend.

For the next three weeks, officers will be out in full force making sure drivers and passengers are buckled up in hopes to cut down the number of Hoosiers hurt in accidents because they weren’t wearing their seatbelt. Data from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute shows that 40% of passenger vehicle deaths in Indiana involve people who weren’t wearing a seatbelt.

Since police started the “Click it or Ticket” campaign over 20 years ago, seatbelt use has increased up to 30% in Indiana to almost 93%, which is slightly higher than the national average of just over 90%.

Overtime patrols will be funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration with grants administered by ICJI.

“We cannot tolerate another deadly year like the one we just had on our roads,” Devon McDonald, ICJI executive director said. “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.”