AUSTIN, Texas — Wearing a seatbelt could be the difference between life and death. In order to encourage seatbelt use, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is launching enforcement of its 22nd annual "Click It or Ticket" initiative.
Enforcement starts May 20 and lasts through June 2 as a way to ensure Texans buckle up both behind the wheel and in the passenger seat. This comes just in time for Memorial Day weekend, which is the deadliest holiday for drivers in the U.S., according to AutoInsurance.org.
Under the Click It or Ticket initiative, anyone not wearing a seatbelt risks facing fines and court costs up to $200.
They also risk losing their lives. Last year alone, approximately 28% of Texans who died in car crashes were not wearing seatbelts, according to TxDOT.
"Buckling up is both the simplest and most effective safety decision that most of us make everyday," TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams said. "No one ever expects to be in a crash, and that's why it's so important to always put your seatbelt on every time you get in a vehicle. The one time you skip it could be the time you pay the price."
Click It or Ticket doesn't just encourage adult vehicle safety – it also encourages children's protection. Drivers who fail to place a child in proper seating could face up to $250, plus court costs.
Under Texas law, any child under 8 years old and shorter than 5 feet tall is required to sit in a rear-facing, convertible, forward-facing or booster seat, depending on their specific age and size.
Vehicle fatalities in toddlers are reduced by approximately 54% just by wearing a seatbelt, according to TxDOT.
By making sure everyone buckles up, Texans can help reduce car crash deaths this spring and year-round.