This Thanksgiving holiday, the NOPD is teaming up with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on a high-visibility Click It or Ticket seat belt awareness campaign. From November 18-November 25, the law enforcement community will be working together to reduce the number of fatalities that occur when vehicle passengers fail to buckle up. If they spot you, they will pull you over and issue a ticket.

During the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in 2021 (6 p.m. on Wednesday, November 24, to 5:59 a.m. on Monday, November 29), there were 361 passenger vehicle occupants killed in traffic crashes across the nation. Half (50%) were unrestrained. Not wearing a seat belt proved to be deadly at any time of the day during the holiday weekend: 52% of those killed in nighttime crashes were unbuckled, and 46% of those killed in daytime crashes also were unbuckled. These deaths represent needless tragedies for families across America and may have been prevented with the simple click of a seat belt.

“Buckle your seat belt to stay safe and to stay legal,” NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said. “Whether you’re driving cross-country or across the street, whether it is day or night, it is essential that you wear a seat belt. The bottom line is this: That seat belt may very well mean the difference between life and death. This Thanksgiving, and every day of the year, remember: Click It or Ticket.”

Louisiana law states that all drivers and passengers, regardless of which seat they occupy in a vehicle, must wear a seat belt or be properly restrained in a child safety seat that is properly installed. The fine for not being properly restrained is $50.

For more information about traveling safely this Thanksgiving, please visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/seat-belts.