The annual two-week Click it or Ticket campaign is underway and deputies from the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office will be stepping up seat belt enforcement as a way to increase seat belt use, save lives and reduce injuries. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 10,076 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in 2017 in the United States. Of males killed in crashes, 51 percent were unrestrained and 39 percent of females were not buckled up. Young adults 18-34 who were killed in crashes in 2017, more than half were unrestrained, the highest of any age group. “We will be working with our law enforcement partners to ensure the message gets out about the importance of buckling up,” said St. Clair County Sheriff Tim Donnellon. “It’s the law, but most important is that buckling up is the easiest thing to do to limit injury or to save your life in a crash.” In Michigan, seat belt use was at 93.4 percent in 2018, which is higher than the national average seat belt use rate of 89.6 percent. Law enforcement agencies are taking a no excuse approach to seat belt enforcement, writing tickets both day and night. In Michigan, the penalty for a seat belt violation is $65 plus associated local fees. The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning is coordinating the effort, which runs through June 2nd. It is supported by directed federal traffic safety funds.
