The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office will join law enforcement agencies across the country to step up patrols and remind drivers that buckling up can save a life. The Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement campaign begins May 22 and runs through June 4, 2023. “Seat belts are proven to save lives in a crash, but many still don’t buckle up,” Sheriff
Waldschmidt said. “We’re stepping up enforcement right now because we want seat belt use to become an automatic habit for all drivers and passengers in Wisconsin.”
Thousands of lives could be saved each year in the U.S. if every person was properly restrained on the road. In Wisconsin, preliminary numbers show 170 drivers and passengers who died in crashes in 2022 were not wearing a seat belt. An average of more than 2,300 unbuckled occupants are hurt in crashes every year. A 2022 survey found 87.5% of Wisconsin motorists wear seat belts. That number has been dropping in recent years and falls below the nationwide seat belt use rate of 90.4% in 2021. Wisconsin’s primary seat belt law allows law enforcement to stop and cite motorists for failing to wear a seat belt. Penalties are higher for transporting unrestrained children and passengers can also be cited. Failure to fasten a seat belt is among the most common traffic violations in Wisconsin. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2020, 58% of passenger vehicle occupants killed at night were not wearing their seat belts. That’s why one focus of the Click It or Ticket campaign is nighttime enforcement. The campaign also coincides with Memorial Day weekend, which can be an especially dangerous time on the roads, so officers will be encouraging seat belt use as motorists travel throughout Wisconsin. “The Click It or Ticket campaign aims to keep all travelers safe during this busy season,” Waldschmidt said. “Safety should be the top priority every time you get in a vehicle. Buckle up and encourage your loved ones to do the same.” For more information on the Click It or Ticket mobilization, please visit www.nhtsa.gov/ciot.
