National Click It or Ticket Seat Belt Enforcement

New York State Police from Troop K urge motorists to buckle up

NEW YORK STATE POLICE 
Major Robin H. Benziger
Troop K Commander

PRESS RELEASE

Pleasant Valley, New York – As motorists take to the roads this Memorial Day holiday, the New York State Police from Troop K are urging everyone to buckle up.   Beginning Monday, May 23, 2016 and concluding June 5, 2016, law enforcement officials will be out in full force, taking part in the 2016 National Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement mobilization and cracking down on motorists who are not wearing their seatbelt.

On May 23rd, State Police will join law enforcement agencies across the Eastern United States in mobilizing the Click It or Ticket Operation.  Law enforcement agencies will join forces to provide increased seat belt enforcement sending a zero tolerance message to the public: driving or riding unbuckled will result in a ticket, no matter what state.

Captain Thomas H. Jones of Troop K states, “Occupant safety is a year-round traffic priority for the New York State Police in Troop K.  Troopers will be focusing on educating the public about the importance of utilizing a seat belt and enforcement the law during this click it or ticket campaign.”

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 9,385 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2014 were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash.  Statistically unbelted fatalities are more prevalent at night than during the daytime:  58 percent of those killed in 2014 during the overnight hours of 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m. were unbelted at the time of the crash.

New York State Police Superintendent Joseph A. D’Amico said, “Our Troopers see first-hand the injuries suffered by those who don’t buckle up when they climb into a vehicle. During this campaign, we will be looking for those who are not using seatbelts and making certain they understand that taking just a few seconds to buckle up could be a life-saving decision.”

Thousands of Americans are alive today because a seat belt saved them during a crash. In 2014, the use of seat belts in passenger vehicles saved an estimated 12,802 lives. From 2010 to 2014, seat belts saved an estimated 63,000 lives. So while this year’s Click It or Ticket enforcement mobilization runs from May 23rd – June 5th, officers will continue to save lives by enforcing seat belt laws year-round.

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