Law enforcement agencies in Vincennes, including the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, are teaming up with agencies across Indiana to promote the “Click It or Ticket” campaign during the Memorial Day holiday period. The campaign, which runs from May 15 to June 4, aims to raise awareness of the importance of wearing seat belts and to reduce the number of deaths resulting from motor vehicle accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration funds the overtime patrols, which will enforce seat belt laws during the day and night.
Lt. Kern emphasized that buckling up is not only a safe practice but also the law. Despite the progress and advances in vehicle safety, data from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute shows that unbuckled motorists account for 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%. However, in 2022, 236 unbuckled vehicle occupants lost their lives on Indiana roads – the third-highest in the past decade.
During the campaign, 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 and for each unbuckled passenger under the age of 16. The campaign will also focus on nighttime enforcement, as 57% of passenger vehicle occupants killed at night were not wearing their seat belts in 2021.
Research has demonstrated that buckling up can reduce the risk of injury or death in a crash by up to 65%. Lt. Kern emphasized that seat belt use is higher among females than males, and twice as many males were killed in crashes as compared to females in 2021. Moreover, 54% of males killed in crashes were unrestrained, while 42% of females killed in crashes were not buckled up. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also reported that approximately 46% of all car seats are being used incorrectly, and vehicle collisions remain a leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 13.
Indiana law requires the driver and all passengers to buckle up, and children under the age of eight must be properly restrained in a child car seat or booster seat according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Lt. Kern urged the public to spread the word and help make seat belt use an automatic habit for drivers and passengers alike. “Seat belts save lives, and everyone — front seat and back, child and adult — needs to remember to buckle up,” he said.
