North Ridgeville, OH— North Ridgeville Police Department is reminding drivers about the lifesaving benefits of wearing a seat belt this spring, 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 24 to June 6, 2021.
“We want the act of buckling up to become automatic response when people enter a motor vehicle,” said Michael Freeman, Chief of Police, North Ridgeville Police Department.“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 and significant injuries that could be prevented.”
According to NHTSA, in 2019, there were 9,466 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in the United States. In that same year, 55% 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. Participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement, writing citations day and night.
“You may think you’re safe in a certain vehicle, or on a certain road, but the truth is, you’re safest when you buckle up, no matter what,” said Freeman. “Unfortunately, many families are suffering because their loved ones refused to follow this simple step. In 2019, Lorain County had 17 fatal car crashes that resulted in 19 deaths; of which over 50% were not wearing their seatbelt. In 2020, there were 15 fatal car crashes that resulted in 17 deaths, which 22% were not wearing a seatbelt.” The national seat belt use rate in 2019 was 90.7%, the seatbelt rate in Lorain County is 78.2% —we can do better.
“If the enforcement effort wakes people up to the dangers of unrestrained driving, we’ll consider our mission to be a success,” said Freeman. “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 this senseless inaction. Seat belts save lives, and everyone — front seat and back, child and adult — needs to remember to buckle up.”
For more information on theClick It or Ticketmobilization, please visit www.nhtsa.gov/ciot.
Photo courtesy of Getty