According to NHTSA, in 2017, there were 10,076 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in the United States. In that same year, 55 percent of passenger vehicle occupants killed at night (6 p.m.–5:59 a.m.) were not wearing their seat belts. That’s why one focus of the Click It or Ticket campaign is nighttime enforcement. DeFuniak Springs Police will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement, writing citations day or night. In DeFuniak Springs, the maximum penalty for a seat belt violation is $111.00.
“With an increased number of cars flooding the streets due to the Memorial Day holiday, it’s imperative we get the word out about the importance of seat belt safety,” said Chief James Hurley. In 2017, almost twice as many males were killed in crashes as compared to females. Of the males killed in crashes in 2017, more than half (51%) were unrestrained. For females killed in crashes, 39 percent were not buckled up.
If the enforcement crackdown wakes people up to the dangers of unrestrained driving, we’ll consider our mission to be a success. If you know a friend or a family member who does not buckle up when they drive, please ask them to consider changing their habits. Help us spread this lifesaving message before one more friend or family member is killed as a result of this senseless inaction. Seat belts save lives, and everyone—front seat and back, child and adult—needs to remember to buckle up—every trip, every time.
For more information on the Click It or Ticket mobilization, please visit www.nhtsa.gov/ciot.