No warnings will be given out, as the L.B.P.D. will be aggressively enforcing the state’s occupant protection laws. The Click It or Ticket campaign relies on heavy enforcement and public education as a means to help save lives on California’s roadways.
“Seat belts save thousands of lives every year,” said Police Chief, Anthony Batts. “Buckling up will not only save you a heavy fine, it can also save your life. We’re not giving warnings. It’s 'Click It or Ticket.'"
Currently California has a seat belt usage rate of 95.7 percent, but that still means over one half million people are not buckling up. Properly restrained drivers, passengers and children, have a 50 percent better chance of surviving a crash than unbelted occupants. Those ejected from vehicles in crashes or rollovers are up to 35 times more likely to die than restrained occupants.
“Buckling up just makes sense,” said Christopher J. Murphy, Director of the California Office of Traffic Safety. “It takes only two seconds for an action that can make the difference whether you or your family gets home today.”
More than 90 local law enforcement agencies statewide and the CHP will be participating in this year’s Click It or Ticket mobilization. Funding to support California’s Click It or Ticket campaign was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.