Seat Belt Signs, Fines and Enforcement Going Up

Click It or Ticket Enforcement Campaign Starts Across State

EDITOR'S NOTE: Look, let's face it, the increased fines and enforcement have nothing to do with concern for lives or enhanced safety; it's all about increasing revenue for the state. Seat belts are good, people should use them, but it should not be mandated and non-use should not result in draconian penalties. (MJR)

SACRAMENTO, CA - May 24, 2010: As if saving lives weren't enough, there are even more reasons to make sure all drivers, passengers and children are buckled up every trip, day and night. First is the annual lead-into-summer Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement campaign set to run May 24 - June 6, with law enforcement across the state offering zero tolerance from extra patrols looking for those not properly buckled in.

Second is that the tickets that will be handed out are going to cost much more than in the past, at least $142. The familiar roadside signs with the Click It or Ticket logo are being updated from the old "Ticket $80-$91" to read "Minimum $142." The cost of failing to properly buckle up any child under the age of 16 has increased to at least $445 per child for a first offense and $1005 or more on a second offense.

"Wearing a seat belt is just simply the easiest and most effective thing you can do on the road to protect yourself and your family," said Christopher J. Murphy, Director of the California Office of Traffic Safety. "That means buckling up day and night, on every trip."

California is a national leader in traffic safety, ranking near the top for buckling up on every trip, around town or during their long commutes. 95.3 percent of all Californians regularly use seat belts according to a 2009 California Office of Traffic Safety study. But that still leaves 1.5 million who do not wear seat belts and are at great risk for serious injury or death.

During the May 24 - June 6 campaign, motorists can expect to receive tickets, not a warning, if officers find them out on the roads unbuckled. Moreover, motorists can also expect that police officers, Sheriff's deputies and California Highway Patrol officers will be out in force -- both day and night.

More than 150 local law enforcement agencies statewide and the CHP will be participating in this year's Click It or Ticket mobilization. Funding for the campaign was provided by grants from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This effort supports the California Strategic Highway Safety Plan's strategies to increase use of safety belts and child safety seats.

There's no question about it: seat belts save lives. Spread the word to your family and friends to buckle up. You could save them the cost of a ticket. Even better: You could save a life. Remember, this May 24 to June 6, is "Click It or Ticket."