From now through the Sunday after Thanksgiving, law enforcement agencies across Iowa and the Midwest will be participating in the national Click It or Ticket campaign. This is an effort to increase seat belt usage through highly visible seat belt law enforcement, not only in Iowa, but in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. “The Click It or Ticket campaign is so important because it raises awareness about seat belt safety and reminds people that seat belts aren’t optional,” says National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) Region 7 Administrator, Susan DeCourcy. “We’re heading into the busiest travel season of the year. Families will be heading out for the holidays, so it’s imperative we get the word out about the importance of seat belts.” According to the NHTSA, there were 9,778 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in the U.S. in 2018. DeCourcy says because of these frightening statistics, participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement, writing citations day and night. The campaign is targeted at all drivers, but especially those hard to reach young adults from 18 to 34. In 2019, 58 percent of those in that age category killed in crashes were not restrained, which is one of the highest percentages for all age groups.
