Baxley, Georgia, —As an integral part of this year’s national Click It or Ticket seat belt campaign, which will take place May 20 through June 2, 2019, the Appling County Sheriff’s Office will be teaming up with law enforcement nationwide for a Border to Border (B2B) kickoff event. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is asking all states to participate in B2B, a one-day national seat belt awareness event on May 20, which is coordinated by participating state highway safety offices and their respective law enforcement liaisons. The B2B program aims to increase law enforcement participation by coordinating highly visible seat belt enforcement and providing seat belt fact sheets for drivers at heavily traveled, highly visible state border checkpoints.
According to NHTSA, in 2017, there were 10,076 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in the United States. In that same year, 55 percent of passenger vehicle occupants killed at night (6 p.m.–5:59 a.m.) were not wearing their seat belts. That’s why one focus of the Click It or Ticket campaign and the B2B kickoff event is nighttime enforcement. Participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement, writing citations day and night. In Georgia, the maximum penalty for a seat belt violation is $15.00.
“The Border to Border component of the Click It or Ticket campaign is so important because it raises awareness about seat belt safety during the time period when seat belts are least used,” said Sheriff Mark Melton. “With an increased number of cars flooding the streets due to the Memorial Day holiday, it’s imperative we get the word out about the importance of seat belt safety.”
“If the enforcement crackdown wakes people up to the dangers of unrestrained driving, we’ll consider our mission to be a success,” said Sheriff Melton. “If you know a friend or a family member who does not buckle up when they drive, please ask them to consider changing their habits. 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—every trip, every time.”
For more information on the Click It or Ticket mobilization, please visit www.nhtsa.gov/ciot.
Mon - Sun: 12:00 AM - 06:00 AM
