Kentuckians are reminded to buckle up and properly secure children in car or booster seats to keep themselves safe throughout the year and during the “Click It or Ticket” Campaign, which runs May 12 to June 1 and includes the Memorial Day holiday.
“It only takes two seconds to fasten your seat belt – and those two seconds could save your life,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “We want everyone to buckle up, every trip. Let’s look out for one another and make sure we all get to where we’re going and come back home, safely.”
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 707 roadway deaths last year in Kentucky, 471 were killed in motor vehicle crashes, and 47% of them (220) were either not wearing a seat belt or were not properly restrained in a car seat or booster seat. Nine of the 471 deaths were children ages 9 and younger. One of the nine was improperly restrained.
“Wearing a seat belt is the simplest, most effective way to protect yourself and the people you care about,” said KYTC Secretary Jim Gray. “Buckling up should be second nature – every time, every ride. It’s a small action that makes a big difference.”
According to NHTSA, despite typically low traffic volumes at night, fatal crashes nationwide are three times higher during nighttime hours compared to daytime. Of the 471 occupants killed in motor vehicle crashes, at least 185 occurred at night. Of those, more than 90 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.
“Every decision behind the wheel matters,” said Sec. Gray. “Our goal is to prevent tragedy before it happens – and sometimes that means taking enforcement action to protect lives.”
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.
Kentucky Office of Highway Safety