November Reminder to Fasten Your Seat Belt
On November 9, 2020, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) began its yearly Click It or Ticket nationwide seat belt enforcement program. As we head into the winter months, the agency wants to remind the public that consistent use of seat belts save lives.
Elaine Chao, the United States Transportation Secretary, states that the use of seat belts saves thousands of lives every year. The Click It or Ticket initiative serves as a critical reminder to drivers that they should wear a seat belt each and every time they get behind the wheel.
As a Sacramento car accident law firm, we understand how important campaigns like these are in increasing public awareness and decreasing traffic fatalities.
Click it or Ticket Campaign Details
The Click It or Ticket program combines additional enforcement of state laws with an $8 million advertising campaign promoting public awareness of seat belt safety. Ads will run on radio, television, websites, and social media platforms in both English and Spanish from November 9 through 29, 2020. The increased enforcement efforts will take place from November 16 through 29, 2020.
The enforcement mobilization beginning November 16 will be kicked off in participating states by the Border to Border initiative, which is a national seat belt awareness event. On that one day, Border to Border will coordinate high-visibility restraint enforcement at well-traveled checkpoints with the goals of increasing law enforcement participation and garnering media attention to the campaign.
Lives Saved by Seat Belts
All of these measures are designed to drive home the fact that crash survivability increases dramatically with the
use of seat belts and that restraints are the single most effective countermeasure to highway fatalities.
- Use of seat belts saved nearly 15,000 lives in 2017
- Between 2013 and 2017, nearly 70,000 lives were saved by the use of seat belts.
Males Buckle Up Less Frequently Than Females
Nearly half of the passenger vehicle occupants that were killed in car crashes in 2018 were not wearing seat belts. More than 50% of male passenger vehicle fatalities were not wearing a seat belt, compared to 39% of women. One national survey completed the same year revealed that seat belt use continued to be lower for male vehicle occupants (less than 88% buckled up) than females (92%).
Primary Target: Males Age 18 to 34
Among adults aged 18 to 34 that were killed in car crashes in 2018, over half (58%) were entirely unrestrained. This represents one of the highest percentages for all age groups. The Click It or Ticket campaign is especially aimed at young men in this age group, due to their tendency to remain unbuckled at far greater rates than other groups.
Watch the YouTube video. Below is a recent video created by the NHTSA as part of the Click It or Ticket campaign.
Citrus Heights Personal Injury Lawyer
Hello and thanks for reading. I’m Ed Smith, a personal injury lawyer in Citrus Heights, California. Even if you were not wearing a seat belt, if another driver’s negligent behavior caused an automobile accident and you suffered injuries, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. Some of the categories of economic damages that may be recovered are medical expenses and lost wages. You may also be entitled to payment for your pain and suffering. To speak with a case manager or injury attorney and receive our free and friendly advice, call us at (916) 921-6400. If you will be calling from outside the local area, dial toll-free at (800) 404-5400. My website also has an online contact form if you prefer that method of communication.
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Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/seat-belt-seatbelt-vehicle-4227630/
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