FRANKFORT, Ky. (May 13, 2024) – Kentuckians are reminded to buckle up and properly secure children in car seats or boosters during the annual “Click It or Ticket” campaign, which coincides with the Memorial Day holiday, running May 20 to June 2.
“Seat belts save lives,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “I urge all Kentuckians to take every possible safety measure to safeguard our families and loved ones while on the road, including buckling up and ensuring that children in the backseat are properly secured too.”
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s (KYTC) Office of Highway Safety (KOHS) is joining law enforcement around the commonwealth and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the annual federally funded high-visibility seat belt enforcement effort.
According to the KOHS, of the 813 roadway deaths last year in Kentucky, 550 were occupants of motor vehicles. Of those killed in motor vehicle crashes, 50.9% (280) were either not wearing a seat belt or were not properly restrained in a car seat or booster seat. Eight of the 550 deaths were children ages 9 and younger. One of the eight was improperly restrained.
“Buckling your seat belt should be a reflex anytime drivers or passengers enter a vehicle,” said KYTC Secretary Jim Gray. “Regardless of the vehicle type, the time of day or the journey’s length, consistently wearing your seat belt is the most effective measure for ensuring safety – every trip, every time.”
According to NHTSA, despite the low traffic volume, fatal crashes are three times higher nationwide at nighttime versus daytime. Of the 550 occupants killed in motor vehicle crashes, 211 occurred at night. Of those, 124 were unrestrained.
More than 110 law enforcement agencies throughout Kentucky have participated in the KOHS Click It or Ticket “Local Heroes” initiative to reinforce this message. Localized public service announcements (PSAs) feature officers, deputies and Troopers in counties with low seat belt usage rates and/or a high number of unrestrained motorist-involved crashes. The PSAs will air during the Click It or Ticket campaign beginning Memorial Day weekend. In areas without a county-specific PSA, statewide versions will air featuring various law enforcement agencies throughout the state.
“We encourage motorists to make safe choices on the road because it’s the right thing to do, not just because it is the law,” said Secretary Gray. “However, if a life may be saved by writing a ticket, they will do it.”
According to NHTSA, when worn correctly, seat belts reduce the risk of death by 45% for front-seat vehicle occupants and by 60% for pickup truck, SUV and minivan occupants. Properly fastened seat belts contact the body’s strongest parts, such as the chest, hips and shoulders. A seat belt spreads the force of a crash over a wide area of the body, putting less stress on any one part, and allows the body to slow down with the crash, extending the time when the occupant feels the crash forces.
Visit kyhighwaysafety.com for more information.