This month law enforcement agencies across the nation are increasing enforcement
of seat belt laws for Click It or Ticket.
Multiple weeks of highly visible patrols will be watching for unrestrained
passengers in cars and trucks, both children and adults, the front seat
and back, both day and night.
Click It or Ticket continues through the Memorial Day holiday and the start
of the summer travel season. Indiana law requires the driver and all passengers
to buckle up. Children under the age of eight must be properly restrained
in a child car seat or booster seat.
The share of Hoosiers not buckling up has dropped to 6.6%, below the national
average of 10.4 percent. But new data from the Indiana Criminal Justice
Institute and the Indiana University Public Policy Institute show that
unrestrained motorists still make up 53 percent of traffic deaths.
Unrestrained motorists are more likely to die in crashes by 10 times in
cars and SUVs, 14 times in pickup trucks and 15 times in vans.
Drivers under age 25, especially young male drivers, are the least likely
to be buckled during a crash. Injury rates among unrestrained motorists
are also higher: in rural counties, when a driver is speeding or impaired
and on weekend nights between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m.
During a crash, unrestrained passengers become projectiles that can injure
or kill others in the car.
Traffic crashes are the leading killer of children ages 1 to 13, and adults
set the example. Parents and caregivers who do not buckle up are more
likely to have kids who are improperly restrained. That means one ticket
for the driver and one additional ticket for the driver for each unrestrained child.
What is the best way to reduce your chances of injury or death? Buckle
up! Below are tips for proper seat belt use:
• Secure the lap belt across your hips and pelvis, below your stomach.
• Place the shoulder belt across the middle of your chest and rib
cage, away from your neck.
• Never put the shoulder belt behind your back or under an arm.
• If your seat belt doesn’t fit you, or you have an older car
with lap belts only, ask your dealer or vehicle manufacturer about seat-belt
adjusters, extenders or retrofits.
The experienced attorneys at Tabor Law Firm have seen many instances of
injuries or fatalities that could have been prevented if a passenger or
driver had simply taken the time to buckle a seat belt. We hope you all
take a few seconds each time getting in a vehicle to click it or ticket.
Should you have anyquestions, please contact our
Indianapolis Car Accident Attorneys to help you understand the importance of the Click it or Ticket process.
