Press Releases
11/24/2020
Click It or Ticket Campaign to Kick Off November 26
The Connecticut Department of Transportation, Office of Highway Safety is joining law enforcement agencies throughout the United States in an effort to keep travelers safe leading up to and during the Thanksgiving holiday. The Click It or Ticket national seat belt campaign, aimed at enforcing seat belt use, begins November 26 and runs through December 3.
“Thanksgiving is traditionally one of the busiest travel seasons of the year,” said Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Joseph Giulietti. “Although some travel plans may be different this year, using your seat belt for every trip - drivers and passengers alike and even for short drives - remains important, and, it just might save you or your passengers' lives.”
In 2018, nearly half of the 22,697 passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes were unbuckled – 52% of male passenger vehicle occupants killed were not wearing a seat belt, as compared to 39% of women. According to the National Occupant Protection Use Survey, seat belt use continued to be lower for males (87.7%) than females (92.0%) in 2018.
Among young adults 18 to 34 killed in crashes in 2018, more than half (58%) were completely unrestrained, one of the highest percentages for all age groups.
In Connecticut, statewide seat belt use increased to 93.7% in 2019, up from 92.1% in 2018.
Law enforcement officials are out on Connecticut’s roads enforcing the State Occupant Protection laws and issuing citations to those who are unbuckled.
“In 2019, 57 residents lost their lives because they weren’t wearing a seat belt,” added Giulietti. “The fact is, not wearing a seat belt doesn’t just affect the person killed or injured, it impacts all of us either through loss of a family member or friend, or in other ways. Wearing your seat belt is the single most effective way to protect you and your loved ones in motor vehicle crashes. Remind your loved ones that seat belts do save lives and to buckle up every trip, every time.”
Connecticut law requires all drivers and passengers in the front seat, regardless of the occupant’s age, as well as all children under 16 in all positions to wear seatbelts. Fines start at a minimum of $92 for first offense.
For more information on the Click It or Ticket mobilization, please visit www.nhtsa.gov/ciot.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS
TELEPHONE: 860-594-3003
WEB SITE: www.ct.gov/dot
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/CTDOTOfficial