The Blytheville Police Department will participate in a special crackdown soon for people who refuse to buckle seat belts during the Thanksgiving holiday, according to Assistant Police Chief Marvin Crawford.
The campaign, known as "Click it or Ticket," will run throughout the Thanksgiving week, starting Nov. 22-28.
Although nationally more people are using seat belts than ever before, far too many people still aren't buckling up and paying the ultimate price, Crawford said. People who are planning to travel by car to celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends should ensure everyone riding in the vehicle buckles their seat belts. Otherwise, they run the risk being ticketed by police.
In 2008 alone, nearly 13,000 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants died on U.S. roadways. It's estimated that nearly a third of them could have been saved if they were properly belted. NHTSA statistics also show that those least likely to buckle up are teens, young adults, males, nighttime riders, motorists traveling on rural roads and people traveling in pickup trucks.
Wearing a seat belt costs nothing, and may save lives and protect occupants from a serious, possibly life-altering injuries, Crawford said.
Regular seat belt use is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes, according to NHTSA. Research has shown that when lap and shoulder belts are used properly the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants is reduced by 45 percent, and the risk of moderate to serious injury is reduced by 50 percent.
For more information about the Click It or Ticket campaign for highway safety during Thanksgiving visit the NHSA Web site at www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov.
dhilton@blythevillecourier.com