Unbuckled motorists might get a wake up call to the state’s seat belt laws during the 2008 Click It Or Ticket campaign, which begins on Monday, May 19.The campaign is a cooperative effort between hundreds of law enforcement agencies across the country, including the Piedmont Police Department, with a mission of keeping motorists safe on the roadways.
In a 2006, 64 percent of the nation’s passenger vehicle occupants killed in traffic accidents at night were not wearing seat belts, according to the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration. The NHSTA also reported young men as the most likely drivers to not buckle up.
Seventy-three percent of male vehicle occupants between the ages of 18 and 34 who were killed in accidents were not wearing seat belts, reported the NHSTA.
But young males are not the only ones at risk. Sixty-four percent of teenage passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in 2006 were not wearing seat belts.
In an effort to catch drivers and passengers not abiding by the state’s seat belt law, Piedmont Police will be patrolling day and night through June 1 for the Click It Or Ticket campaign.
Officers will not only be looking for unbuckled motorists during regular traffic stops, but also through seatbelt checkpoints.
Alabama state law requires all front seat passengers to wear a seatbelt unless there is a written statement from a physician stating they cannot wear one due to a medical reason, said Piedmont Police Chief Steven Tidwell.
Child restraint laws require infants be in a rear-facing seat until one year of age or 20 pounds in weight. Forward facing child seats must be used until the child is five years old or 40 pounds. Booster seats must be used until the child is six.
All children under the age of 15 must wear a seatbelt no matter where they are sitting in the vehicle. This also means children this age are not allowed to ride in the beds of pickup trucks, Tidwell said.
Tidwell said buckling up is one of the most simple things drivers and passengers can do to protect their lives. He said the Click It Or Ticket campaign is a way to make drivers and passenger more aware of seatbelt usage’s importance.
“Regular seatbelt usage is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce motor vehicle crash fatalities,” said Tidwell. “High-visibility enforcement is effective in getting people to buckle up.”
For more information on the Click It Or Ticket campaign, visit www.nhtsa.gov.
