Click It or Ticket Campaign
Urges Drivers to Buckle Up
Texas AgriLife Extension Service safety expert is urging drivers to take a few seconds to save their own lives.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is helping promote the Click It or Ticket campaign May 23 through June 5, which includes the Memorial Day Weekend. The campaign is working to get more pickup truck drivers to buckle up.
“Taking about three seconds to buckle your seat belt is the most important step you can take to protect yourself in a crash,” said Bev Kellner, AgriLife Extension program vehicle safety specialist, College Station. “While most Texans now routinely buckle up, some groups of motorists still aren’t consistently using seat belts. Statistics show those most likely to be unrestrained are men and young adults, especially pickup truck drivers and passengers.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nationally about 50% of those killed in crashes are unrestrained — and it’s about 61% for pickup truck occupants. The Texas Department of Transportation reported last year 40% of those killed in Texas crashes were unrestrained.
“NHTSA said in 2015 alone, seat belts prevented 370 fatalities and 6,652 serious injuries in Texas,” Kellner said. “When the Click It or Ticket campaign began in 2002, just 76% of Texans used seat belts. Today, more than 90% of Texans buckle up.”
Kellner said pickup truck drivers and their passengers typically depend on their vehicle’s bigger size to protect them in a crash.
“But the fact is, pickup trucks are twice as likely to roll over as passenger cars, and pickup truck crashes can be especially serious — even deadly — due to their tendency to roll over and for unbelted occupants to be thrown from the vehicle,” she said.
Unbuckled passengers can also be deadly to others in the vehicle, Kellner noted.
“Most people are not aware of the dangers posed by unbuckled backseat passengers. In a crash, they can become projectiles that are tossed around inside the vehicle, injuring or killing those in the front seat,” she said. “NHTSA and Texas Department of Transportation statistics show riders in the back seat who use lap and shoulder belts are 44% more likely to survive in a crash than unrestrained occupants in passenger cars, and they are 73% more likely to survive a crash in passenger vans or SUVs.”
Kellner said there’s yet another good reason for people to use their seat belts — it’s the law.
“Unbelted drivers and adult passengers can face fines and court costs of up to $200. Children younger than 8 years old must be in a child safety seat or booster seat unless they are taller than 4 feet 9 inches. Fines issued to drivers for unrestrained children in their vehicle can be as high as $250 plus court costs.”
Kellner said since this year’s campaign time frame includes Memorial Day weekend, a time many people take to the road to enjoy the long weekend. Drivers can expect to encounter additional law-enforcement activity, including checking seat belts and child restraints.
“These officers are not out just to write tickets, but want to help prevent the needless tragedy from motor-vehicle accidents,” Kellner said. “Remember, it just takes a few seconds to buckle up and save your life. Buckling up isn’t something to do just during Click It or Ticket. It’s something everyone who drives and every passenger should do every time they get into a vehicle.”
Editor’s Note: Paul Schattenberg is a media relations specialist and news writer for Texas AgriLife Communications.
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