Officials in Lubbock kicked off the “Click It or Ticket” campaign Friday morning at the Lubbock County Courthouse Gazebo.
“In 2016, Lubbock saw 16 motor vehicle traffic crashes in which unrestrained occupants sustained fatal or serious injuries,” the Texas Department of Transportation said in a written statement. “These crashes resulted in five fatalities and 13 serious injuries.”
The full text of TxDOT’s statement is below:
This year the Texas Department of Transportation marks the 15th anniversary of the “Click It or Ticket” campaign dedicated to preventing serious injuries and fatalities by reminding drivers and passengers about the importance of wearing a seat belt and the fines they face for not buckling up. From May 22 to June 4, law enforcement officials will increase efforts to ticket drivers and passengers not wearing a seat belt, especially at night.
In 2002, only 76 percent of Texans wore seat belts. Today nearly 92 percent buckle up. But 8 percent still don’t, and that unbelted number doubles to 16 percent at night, when more fatalities occur. Last year, 62 percent of the 994 unbelted fatalities occurred at night, and total unbelted fatalities increased 9 percent over 2015.
In 2016, Lubbock saw 16 motor vehicle traffic crashes in which unrestrained occupants sustained fatal or serious injuries. These crashes resulted in five fatalities and 13 serious injuries.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that since its inception in 2002, the Texas “Click It or Ticket” campaign has resulted in 5,068 fewer traffic fatalities while preventing 86,359 serious injuries and saving more than $19.3 billion in related economic costs.
