2-Week Click It Or Ticket Seat Belt Campaign Begins

May 24, 2016

The Florida Highway Patrol and other law enforcement agencies have began a two-week “Click It or Ticket” crackdown designed to increase seat belt use and decrease motor vehicle fatalities across the county. The campaign will run day and night.

“Although wearing a seatbelt is the law, the department’s data shows that the consequence of not wearing a seat belt is deadly,” said Colonel Gene Spaulding, director of the Florida Highway Patrol. “FHP is committed to raising awareness and enforcement regarding the importance of wearing a seat belt to help ensure motorists arrive alive.”

In 2015, more than 43 percent of those who were killed in crashes in vehicles where seat belt use is required chose not to wear their seat belts. FHP reminds everyone that Florida law requires the use of seat belts by drivers, passengers in the front seat and all children under the age of 18 in a motor vehicle.

“Safety is our top priority at the Florida Department of Transportation. We know that safety belt use is the most effective way to reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes,” said FDOT Secretary Jim Boxold. “We want to remind everyone to always buckle up.”

The FHP offers the following tips:

Buckle up, every time. A seatbelt is your vehicle’s best safety feature. Set the example.

  • Drive sober. One drink is one too many.
  • Make sure your rear-seat passengers are also buckled. They are more likely to injure themselves and other passengers in a crash, if not buckled up.
  • Obey all speed limits. Traffic congestion and construction zones may require driving more slowly.
  • Seat belts plus air bags provide the greatest protection for adults. However, air bags are not a substitute for seat belts.
  • Don’t drive distracted: Anything that takes your full attention off of the road, even for a second, could be deadly.

Comments

4 Responses to “2-Week Click It Or Ticket Seat Belt Campaign Begins”

  1. paul on May 25th, 2016 6:28 am

    I always wear my seatbelt when in a car. Not only does it keep you from being ejected, it keeps you in the seat behind the controls so you have a chance to recover before you roll over. Hit a curve at speed and see what happens without one. I also wear my full coverage helmet at all times. The insurance companies would rather bury a rider than keep them on life support, that’s the real reason behind no helmet laws in Florida..

  2. Mike on May 24th, 2016 6:32 pm

    @ c.w.:

    Helmets ain’t required in Florida. You might hafta wait until we get a woman governor b4 there’s a helmet law again. LOL! :D

  3. Mike on May 24th, 2016 12:28 pm

    Driving while intexticated (driving while texting) could use a crackdown like this as well. :)

  4. c.w. on May 24th, 2016 4:11 am

    Using seat belts is fine even though a lot of cops fail to use them, but will write you a ticket for not using them. Even worse and more deadly is not wearing a helmet when riding a motorcycle. Is this unfair to auto drivers?