‘Click It or Ticket’ Campaign Begins Monday

From the City of Temple Terrace:

Motorists who refuse to wear their seat belts—beware.

The 2012 national Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement mobilization kicks off Monday to help save lives by cracking down on those who don’t buckle up.

The is teaming up with other state and local law-enforcement officers across the country to help save lives by strongly enforcing seat belt laws around the clock.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 61 percent of the 10,647 passenger vehicle occupants who were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes overnight (6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.) in 2010 were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the fatal crash, compared to 42 percent during the daytime hours.

“Too many drivers and passengers on the road at night are not wearing their seat belts, and all too often it ends in tragedy,” said Capt. Mike Pridemore of the Temple Terrace Police Department. “Our goal is to save more lives, so Temple Terrace police officers will be out enforcing seat belt laws around the clock.”

Seat belt use saves thousands of lives across America each year and the Temple Terrace Police Department is helping spread the word. NHTSA statistics show that in 2010 alone, seat belts saved an estimated 12,546 lives nationwide.

Yet, too many motorists may need a tough reminder. In 2010, 22,187 passenger vehicle occupants were killed in motor vehicle crashes, according to NHTSA, and 51 percent of them were not wearing seat belts at the time of their fatal crashes.