[Prince Frederick, MD] - As
motorists take to the roads this Memorial Day holiday, the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office are urging everyone to buckle
up. Beginning May 18th, 2015, law enforcement officials will be out in
full force, taking part in the 2015 national Click
It or Ticket
seat belt enforcement mobilization and cracking down on motorists who are not
belted.
“As we kick-off the busy summer driving season, it is critical
that everyone buckles up every time they go out, day and night – no excuses,”
said Sheriff Mike Evans. “Our
officers are prepared to ticket anyone who is not wearing their seat belt,
including drivers that have neglected to properly buckle their children. – Click It or Ticket.”
At 6:00 p.m. on May
18th, the Calvert County
Sheriff’s Office will join law enforcement agencies across the Eastern
United States in mobilizing the Click It or Ticket (CIOT) “Border to
Border” Operation. Law enforcement
agencies will join forces to provide increased seat belt enforcement at State borders,
sending a zero tolerance message to the public: driving or riding unbuckled will result in a
ticket, no matter what State.
According to the U.S.
Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), 9,580 passenger vehicle
occupants killed in 2013 were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the
crash. And unbelted fatalities are more
prevalent at night than during the daytime:
59 percent of those killed in
2013 during the overnight hours of 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m. unbelted at the time of
the crash.
“Seat belts save
thousands of lives every year, but far too many motorists are still not
buckling up, especially at night when the risk of getting in a crash is even
greater,” said Captain Todd Ireland. “We
want to make this the safest summer possible. Buckling up is not optional; it’s
the difference between life and death in a crash. That’s why we’re out here enforcing the
law. Click it or Ticket, every
time, day or night.”
From 2008 to 2012, seat belts have saved nearly 63,000 lives nationwide. So while this year’s Click
It or Ticket enforcement mobilization runs from May 18-31, officers will
continue to save lives by enforcing seat belt laws year-round.
