From May 24-June 6, 2021, the NOPD is joining state and local law enforcement agencies across the nation in stepping up enforcement efforts for motorists who aren’t wearing their seat belts as part of the annual “Click It or Ticket” campaign.

For this year’s Click It or Ticket seat belt mobilization effort, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is asking all states to increase law enforcement participation by coordinating highly visible seat belt enforcement and encouraging drivers and passengers to buckle up.

According to NHTSA, in 2019, there were 9,466 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in the United States. In that same year, 55% of passenger vehicle occupants killed at night (6 p.m.–5:59 a.m.) were not wearing their seat belts. That’s why one focus of the Click It or Ticket campaign and the B2B kickoff event is nighttime enforcement. Participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement, writing citations both day and night.

The Border to Border component of the Click It or Ticket campaign is important because it raises awareness about seat belt safety during a time when seat belt use is decreased, NOPD Superintendent Shaun Ferguson said.

“With an increased number of cars flooding the roads due to the upcoming Memorial Day holiday, it’s imperative we get the word out about the importance of seat belt safety,” he said. “In 2019, we lost too many community members because they did not buckle their seat belts. Almost twice as many males were killed in crashes as compared to females, with lower belt use rates, too. Of the males killed in crashes in 2019, more than half (51%) were unrestrained. For females killed in crashes, 40% were not buckled up.

“We aren’t handing out tickets for the thrill of it. If enforcement wakes people up to the dangers of unrestrained driving, we’ll consider our mission to be a success,” Ferguson said. “If you know a friend or a family member who does not buckle up when they drive, please ask them to consider changing their habits. Help us spread this lifesaving message before one more friend or family members are killed as a result of this senseless inaction. Seat belts save lives, and everyone — front seat and back, child and adult — needs to remember to buckle up.”

For more information on the Click It or Ticket mobilization, please visit www.nhtsa.gov/ciot.