Click It or Ticket Enforcement Mobilization Ends

La-Porte-Police-DepartmentThe La Porte Police Department concluded stepped-up enforcement of seat belt laws on June 1st , as part of the 2014 national Click It or Ticket mobilization. After a 23-day police mobilization, the seat belt enforcement campaign in La Porte comes to an end with an announcement by the La Porte Police Department that 166 seat belt tickets and 12 child restraint citations were issued during the region’s special safety crackdown. For all offenses combined, a total 223 citations and 115 warnings were issued during 117 hours of extra patrols.

“Memorial Day weekend kicked off summer vacation season, and our priority was to ensure that everyone arrived at their destinations safe and sound,” said Captain Tom Heath “We said we’d be cracking down on those not wearing their seat belts. Some people chose not to listen, and they were ticketed.”

As part of the national Click It or Ticket mobilization, La Porte Police Department teamed up with law enforcement agencies from across the country to ticket motorists not wearing their seat belts. The high-visibility enforcement campaign was timed to begin with increased travel for the Memorial Day weekend.

According to new data released from the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), fatalities are up nationwide for the first time in 5 years. In 2012, 10,335 people who were killed in motor vehicle crashes were not wearing their seat belts. NHTSA data also details the fact that more traffic vehicle deaths occur at night. In 2012, 61 percent of passenger vehicle occupants killed during the nighttime hours of 6 p.m. – 5:59 a.m. were not wearing their seat belts.

“The mobilization may have ended, but the crackdown on those who flaunt the law by not wearing their seat belts will continue year-round,” said Captain Tom Heath. “We’re not issuing tickets for our own enjoyment; we’re doing this to save lives. Too many people are unnecessarily dying on our roads.”

In 2012, seat belts saved an estimated 12,174 lives nationwide. An additional 3,031 lives could have been saved if all unrestrained passenger vehicle occupants 5 and older involved in fatal crashes had been properly restrained.

For more information on the Click It or Ticket mobilization, please visit www.nhtsa.gov/ciot.