As the Memorial Day holiday approaches, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Office of Highway Safety is joining law enforcement across the state for the annual Click It or Ticket campaign to encourage motorists to buckle up and stay safe.
Officials with the Office of Highway Safety say the federally funded campaign is part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) high-visibility seat belt enforcement effort running from May 24 to June 6.
According to the final statistics for 2020, of the 780 roadway fatalities last year in the commonwealth, 592 were occupants of motor vehicles. Of those killed in motor vehicle crashes, 338 were not protected by a seat belt, car seat, or booster seat. Six of the 338 were children age nine and under, four of which officials said were improperly restrained.
Officials with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report a majority of the unrestrained deaths occur during nighttime hours defined as 6 p.m. through 5:59 a.m. In Kentucky last year, 261 roadway deaths occurred at night. Of those, 162 people who were killed were not wearing seat belts.
To reinforce the message of buckling up, Kentucky State Police will partner with local law enforcement departments across Kentucky to provide a high visibility enforcement effort.
When worn correctly, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports seat belts reduce the risk of death by 45 percent for front-seat vehicle occupants and by 60 percent for occupants of a pickup truck, SUV, and minivan.
