As families and friends prepare to gather for Thanksgiving, the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) and law enforcement agencies statewide are reminding everyone to buckle up to get to their holiday destinations safely. Beginning Thursday, November 27, and running through Friday, December 5, 2025, the annual Click It or Ticket campaign will be underway, focusing on seat belt safety through heightened enforcement and public awareness.
The goal of the campaign is simple: increase seat belt use and prevent senseless tragedies during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
In 2023, 71 people lost their lives on Connecticut roadways while not wearing seat belts. Nationally, during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in 2023, 47% of those killed in nighttime crashes and 38% of those killed in daytime crashes were unbuckled.
“When the unexpected happens, that simple click of a seat belt can be the difference between tragedy and survival,” said Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto. “Seat belts save thousands of lives every year, which is why it's critical - before you put your car into drive - everyone in your vehicle is buckled up.”
This holiday season, drivers will see increased law enforcement on Connecticut roads. Officers will pull over anyone not wearing a seat belt and issue a citation – because enforcing seat belt laws saves lives.
“When you get behind the wheel, buckling up should be as automatic as starting the engine. Our troopers are out in force because we know one simple action can mean the difference between walking away from a collision and not surviving at all,” said Connecticut State Police Commanding Officer Colonel Daniel Loughman. “This Click It or Ticket campaign isn’t about punishment: it’s about readiness, responsibility, and respecting the lives in your vehicle. Buckle up every trip, every time.”
“Buckling seat belts for all passengers in a motor vehicle is the simplest and most effective way to prevent serious injuries in a crash, and it’s also the easiest way to avoid a ticket,” said Watertown Police Chief and Chairman of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association Traffic Safety Committee Josh Bernegger.
Connecticut law requires all drivers and passengers, front and back, to wear a seat belt. Violators can face fines starting at $92 for a first offense.
For more information on seat belt safety, please visit nhtsa.gov