Click It Or Ticket Campaign Helps Save Lives
The two-week public safety campaign, Click It or Ticket, recently came to a close, but the effects may well last a lifetime. The campaign helps promote the use of seatbelts and increases awareness of their benefits.
Started in North Carolina in 1993, Click It or Ticket has spread nationwide. A recently approved $30 million grant from Congress for television and radio advertising helped promote the campaign which was observed from May 24-June 6.
During the two-week window, police cracked down on seatbelt usage, or the lack there of, in an attempt to help save lives while educating the general public. Fines during the Click It or Ticket campaign for drivers and passengers not using their seatbelts ranged from $70 to $310.
In 1984, New York became the first state to make the use of seatbelts mandatory. By 1990, 37 other states had followed suit. Today, New Hampshire is the only state not to enforce a seatbelt law. In Maine, it is mandatory for drivers and passengers to wear a seatbelt at all times.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the use of seatbelts in passenger vehicles saved an estimated 13,250 lives in 2008. Of those, 714 were in Maine. Studies have shown that men ages 18-35, passengers, and those who drive at night are the least likely to buckle up. The NHSTA continues to say that “Regular seat belt use is the single best way to protect yourself and your family in motor vehicle crashes." In 2009, traffic deaths were the lowest since 1954.
At the Law Offices of Joe Bornstein, we see firsthand the effects of tragic car accidents. Our advice to you is to buckle up. And in the event that you, a friend, or a loved one is injured in a car accident, call us for a free and confidential consultation. You may be entitled to compensation.
It’s no secret that seatbelts save lives. Now, with the government’s help, everyone is benefitting from Click it or Ticket. And that’s a campaign with real promise for the future.
For more information on seatbelt safety and the Click It or Ticket campaign, please visit: www.nhtsa.gov/CIOT.
