The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT), in partnership with the Connecticut State Police and local law enforcement agencies, is joining a national effort to keep motorists safe leading up to and during the Memorial Day holiday. The Click It or Ticket national seat belt enforcement campaign begins on May 11, 2026 and runs through May 31, 2026.
Law enforcement officers across Connecticut will be out in full force, issuing citations to drivers and passengers who fail to buckle up. The campaign aims to reinforce the importance of seat belt use and reduce preventable injuries and fatalities on Connecticut roadways.
In 2024, the last year of verifiable data, there were 9,758 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in the United States. In Connecticut that same year, preliminary data shows that 57 people lost their lives on Connecticut roadways while not wearing seat belts.
Connecticut continues to outperform the national average in seat belt use, with a rate of 95% in 2024 compared to 91.2% nationwide. Despite this progress, officials stress that even one unbuckled occupant is too many. Connecticut law requires all drivers and passengers, in both front and back seats, to wear seat belts. Fines begin at a minimum of $92 for a first offense.
“Seat belts save lives and wearing one remains the single most effective way to reduce the risk of serious injury or death in a crash,” said Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto. “As traffic increases heading into the summer months, we’re reminding everyone that buckling up should be automatic, every trip, every time.”
“Safety is always the number one priority for Connecticut State Troopers patrolling local roads and state highways,” said Colonel Daniel Loughman, Commanding Officer of the Connecticut State Police. “As travel lanes become more crowded during the busy summer months, this is the best time to remind drivers and passengers to buckle up for safety. Please, take care of yourself and your passengers by buckling up.”
“Connecticut’s seat belt law exists to save lives and reduce the severity of injuries in crashes,” said Watertown Police Chief Josh Bernegger, Chairman of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association Traffic Safety Committee. “Not wearing a seat belt doesn’t just put you at risk; it can also lead to a $92 fine. Buckle up every time, in every seat.”
For more information, please visit nhtsa.gov/campaign/click-it-or-ticket.