What Is Click It or Ticket?
Click it or
Ticket is a high-publicity law enforcement campaign that gives people more
of a reason to buckle up — the increased threat of a traffic ticket.
Most
people buckle up for safety. But for some people, it is the threat of the
ticket that spurs them to put on a safety belt.
In our Click It or Ticket
program, we are being asked to focus on safety belt violations and
publicize our stepped-up effort through news media and advertising. It is
the two-pronged approach that makes this campaign powerful: Not only are
tickets issued to unbelted motorists, but the surrounding publicity
ensures that people know they are more likely to get a ticket.
The two-week enforcement wave, which runs from
May 24th to June 6th, is
based on a proven public health model to increase belt use called “high
visibility enforcement.” According to the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA), 5,341 teens, ages 16-20, died and hundreds of
thousands more were injured in traffic crashes in 2001.
Current figures for 2002 and the first half of
2004 are not yet available. Fatality rates for teens are twice that of
older drivers and the risk of crashes for teens is four times that of
older drivers. Two out of five deaths among teens are the result of a
traffic crash.
During the national Click It or Ticket Mobilization, patrol officers
will intensify enforcement of child
passenger safety laws, seat belt laws and impaired driving laws by
targeting specific areas in town, similar to the
HOT SPOTS
program. Drivers failing to restrain themselves and their child passengers
will be ticketed according to the law
Please
look at some images from 2003, and additional information
related to the local implementation of the program. Pictures!
