RICHLAND COUNTY, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—Ahead of the Memorial Day holiday, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and local law enforcement are urging drivers and passengers to buckle up for the national Click It or Ticket campaign. The high-visibility seat belt enforcement effort will run from May 19 to June 1, 2025.
Richland County Sheriff J. Steve Sheldon emphasized the importance of seat belt use. “Seat belt use should be an automatic habit for drivers and passengers alike,” said Sheriff Sheldon. “It’s not just a safe thing to do — it’s the law. During the Click It or Ticket campaign, we’ll be working with our fellow law enforcement officers across local and state lines to ensure the message gets out to drivers and passengers. Buckling up is the simplest thing a driver can do to limit injury or save a life during a crash. We see the results of not wearing a seat belt all the time. So often, it could have been prevented.”
While the national seat belt daytime use rate reached 91.9% in 2023, authorities aim to improve this figure. Participating law enforcement agencies will adopt a “no-excuses” approach to enforcing seat belt laws, issuing citations both day and night.
A significant focus of the Click It or Ticket campaign is nighttime enforcement, as NHTSA data indicates a higher number of unrestrained passenger vehicle occupant fatalities occur during nighttime hours.
Statistics also reveal a disparity in seat belt use between genders. In 2021, over half (54%) of male fatalities in crashes were unrestrained, compared to 42% of female fatalities.
“If the enforcement effort alerts people to the dangers of unrestrained driving, we’ll consider our mission to be a success,” Sheriff Sheldon stated. “We are asking friends and family to remind each other to buckle up when they drive, and to consider changing their habits if they don’t. Help us spread this lifesaving message before one more friend or family member is killed as a result of this senseless inaction. Seat belts save lives, and everyone — front seat and back, child and adult — needs to remember to buckle up.”
For additional information about the Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement mobilization, please visit NHTSA.gov/ClickIt.