Click It or Ticket Campaign Aims to Save Lives over Holiday

The Pennsylvania State Police announced it will partner with PennDOT and local police in support of the nationwide “Click It or Ticket” seat belt enforcement campaign sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).  The campaign, which runs from May 21 through June 10, will focus on seat belt enforcement as well as public outreach to boost awareness of seat-belt safety and laws.

According to the press release, 509 people died last year in Pennsylvania in unbelted crashes, a decrease from 524 such fatalities in 2010. However, the total number of crashes in which people were not wearing seat belts rose last year to 16,298, compared to 15,442 in 2010.

The NHTSA reports that in 2010, safety belts saved an estimated 12,546 lives nationwide.  In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that wearing a seatbelt is the most effective way to prevent death and serious injury in a crash. When worn properly, seat belts reduce the risk of death by 45 percent, and of serious injury by 50 percent.

“The ‘Click It or Ticket’ campaign can be a very effective tool for getting people to buckle up,” State Police Commissioner Frank Noonan said. “We’re conducting this enforcement operation for one reason: we want everyone traveling on Pennsylvania roads to reach their destination safely.”

Pennsylvania is one of 31 states with a primary seat-belt law.  PA law requires all drivers and front-seat passengers to be properly restrained, and children under the age of four to be properly restrained in an approved child safety seat. All passengers under 18-years-old must be properly restrained when riding anywhere in the vehicle.

AAA and IHS Global Insight estimate that during the upcoming Memorial Day holiday, which runs for 3.25-days from 6:00 p.m. Friday, May 25, to 11:59 p.m. Monday, May 28, 34.8 million travelers will travel at least 50 miles from home. According to the estimate, this is a 1.2 percent increase over the 2011 holiday period.

The National Safety Council (NSC) estimates nationwide over the 2012 Memorial Day weekend 420 people will die and 42,000 people will be injured in automobile accidents.

Our Scranton car accident attorneys urge all occupants of vehicles to wear their seat belts at all times.  We also ask the drivers to make sure your passengers are buckled up before driving.

“Failing to take this simple step could be the difference between a joyful summer and a tragic one, so please buckle up,” said Noonan.

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