Johnson County Law Enforcement Coalition is joining agencies from across the state to urge drivers to buckle up during the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) national Click It or Ticket campaign.
The enforcement effort began Monday and runs until June 4. Overtime patrols are funded by NHTSA grants administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI).
During the campaign, law enforcement agencies across Indiana will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement and writing citations day and night. Drivers can be cited for lack of seat belt use, as well as for each unbuckled passenger under the age of 16, coalition officials say.
Unbuckled motorists make up almost 40% of all passenger vehicle deaths in the state. Since the “Click It or Ticket” initiative began more than 20 years ago, seat belt use has gone up over 30% in Indiana to 93%, which remains higher than the national average of 91.6%, ICJI data shows.
In 2022, 236 unbuckled vehicle occupants lost their lives on Indiana roads. Young drivers, especially males, were the most likely to speed and the least likely to be buckled during a crash.
Buckling up can reduce the risk of injury or death in a crash by up to 65%. Without a seat belt, people can be ejected from a vehicle and killed, and that risk increases if the driver is speeding or impaired, coalition officials said.
Vehicle collisions are a leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 13, and NHTSA data shows that approximately 46% of all car seats are being used incorrectly. Indiana law requires the driver and all passengers to buckle up. Children under eight must be properly restrained in a child car seat or booster seat according to the child restraint system manufacturer’s instructions.
Parents and caregivers are encouraged to make sure children are in the right car seat and that it’s used correctly and properly installed. Resources can be found at nhtsa.gov/TheRightSeat. To schedule an appointment with a certified car seat safety technician visit on.in.gov/SafeKids.
