Buckle Up! Watertown Police Cracking Down on Seat Belt Enforcement

As you take to the road this month, make sure to have you seat belt on or you may be facing a ticket. 

The Watertown Police Department, along with more than 120 departments across the state in the "Click It or Ticket" campaign from May 20 to June 2, announced Watertown Police Sgt. David Sampson.

“As we kick-off the busy summer driving season it’s important that everyone, including passengers, buckles up every time they go out, both day and night,” Sampson said.

Wearing seat belts decreases the likelihood of injury or death from an auto accident. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over half of the 21,253 drivers and passengers killed in 2011 were not wearing their seat belt at the time of the crash, according to the Watertown Police's announcement. Those deaths were more prevalent at night than during the daytime.

The ratio is similar in Massachusetts, where 54 percent of vehicle occupants killed in accidents were not belted during the crash, Sampson said.

“Seat belts save thousands of lives every year, but far too many motorists are still not buckling up,” Sampson said.

Police officers enforce seat belt laws all year long, but they will be especially vigilant during the Click It or Ticket campaign.

Wearing seat belts saved 11,949 lives nationwide, the NHTSA estimates.

For more on the Click It or Ticket mobilization, please visit www.mass.gov/highwaysafety.