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, Managing Editor
05-20-2008
EISD Police Dept. kicks off ‘Click It or Ticket’ campaign
The Ennis Independent School District Police Department is joining hundreds of other law enforcement agencies across the country in renewing a pledge to save lives by intensifying efforts to enforce seat belt laws among all motorists during the 2008 “Click It or Ticket” mobilization, which runs from May 19 to June 1.
In 2006, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 15,046 passenger vehicle occupants were killed between the nighttime hours of 6 p.m. and 5:59 a.m. Nearly two-thirds of those killed at night were not wearing seat belts. The 64 percent who died is compared to less than half, or 46 percent, of the passenger vehicle occupants killed during daytime hours.
Along with nighttime motorists, men, particularly young men, are among those less likely to buckle up. In 2006, 73 percent of male passenger occupants between the ages of 18 and 34 who were killed in crashes were not wearing seat belts.
In fact, all young people are at greatly increased risk. Sixty-four percent of teenage passenger vehicle occupants killed in fatal crashes during 2006 were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crashes. The 2006 observed seat belt usage rate of those 16 to 24 was lower than any other age group.
To help get the word out about the “Click It or Ticket” campaign, EISD officers, along with Police Chief Ross Jones, were outside Ennis High School Monday morning passing out literature about the urgency to observe seat belt laws, but they weren’t alone. State Highway Patrol officers were also present and EHS students had a hand in things as well. The students were stopping cars as they dropped off students to hand out literature regarding the campaign.
“The students are enjoying it,” Jones said. “The ultimate goal is to save lives.”
“Any time you have kids proactive on the safety of others taking part in a civic-minded activity, that’s a fun thing to see as a principal,” Principal David Averitt said. “Seeing them with a smile on their faces, they’re having fun. This is a positive way of telling people about seat belt safety without giving them a ticket.”
Jones said enforcement is major but reminding motorists before that is also important.
“With 18 percent of all Americans failing to buckle up regularly, it’s clear that far too many people still don’t take belt laws seriously,” Jones said.
Jones also said among some groups, especially young men, the unbuckled rate is especially high and the fatal crash rate increases significantly at night.
In 2005, safety belts prevented 15,700 fatalities, 350,000 serious injuries and $67 billion in economic costs associated with traffic injuries and deaths. In 2007, Texas had a safety belt use of 91.8 percent, with 89.1 percent safety belt use in pickup trucks.
“Worn correctly, seat belts have proven to reduce the risk of fatal injury in a crash by 45 percent for front-seat passenger vehicle occupants and by 60 percent in pickup trucks, SUVs and minivans,” Jones said. “In fact, data shows that more than three quarters (77 percent) of passenger vehicle occupants who were in a serious crash in 2006 and were buckled up survived the crash.”
Increased law enforcement activities, including seat belt checkpoints, will be conducted nationwide during the 2008 “Click It or Ticket” mobilization. Paid national advertising, as well as state advertising, will support the mobilization by promoting the life-saving benefits of regular seat belt use, especially nighttime belt use, to all motorists.
Children and infants rely on their parents and guardians to protect them while riding in a vehicle and they are the victims that suffer the most if they are not secured correctly in the event of even a low-speed crash, much less a violent crash. Jones said we must teach them to observe all of the laws especially the ones that will save their lives one day.
“Regular seat belt use is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce motor vehicle crash fatalities,” Jones said. “And high-visibility enforcement is effective at getting people to buckle up. Wearing your seat belt is easy and it costs you nothing. Not wearing it might cost you a ticket, or worse: your life.”
To learn more about the “Click It or Ticket” campaign and the lifesaving benefits of wearing your seat belt, visit www.nhtsa.gov.
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