Lockport Police Ramping Up Seat Belt Enforcement During May Campaign

LOCKPORT, IL — Lockport Police will be on the lookout for local drivers not wearing a seatbelt during an enforcement campaign that will run through Memorial Day weekend, officials said on Monday.

The annual Click It or Ticket campaign began Friday and will run through the end of the month as a reminder to local residents to buckle up when they are behind the wheel of their vehicles. The campaign focuses on safety education and law enforcement support to save lives, police said.

“Seat belts have proven to be one of the best ways to save your life in a crash,” Lockport Police said in a news release. “Unfortunately, many (people) still don’t buckle up. Worse yet, not wearing a seat belt is a habit that can be passed on to the younger generations who follow the example set by their elders.”

Police said that with the increased traffic on the road as Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, the need for seat belts is even more important, police said. Police said that wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of fatal injuries by 45 percent.

Illinois has a 93.5 percent sea belt use compliance rate but drivers and passengers not wearing seatbelts account for more than half of the deaths that occur on Illinois roads, police said.

The Click It Or Ticket campaign is funded by money provided by the Illinois Department of Transportation.