‘Click it or Ticket’ Campaign Underway

Hawai‘i Police Department, in collaboration with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, will launch its annual Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement campaign starting Monday through Sunday, June 5, 2022.

The goal of the public awareness campaign is to remind drivers that seat belts save lives.

“As we continue to see an increase in traffic deaths across the country, risky driving behaviors, like failing to wear a seat belt, continue to be a contributing factor,” said Dr. Steven Cliff, NHTSA Deputy Administrator. “This campaign is designed to remind drivers that a seat belt is truly your best defense in a crash. Click It or Ticket isn’t about citations; it’s about saving lives.”

HPD, along with state and local law enforcement agencies across the country, will be issuing tickets to drivers who choose not to buckle up. In Hawai’i County, the fine for not wearing a seatbelt is $102 per person.

No matter what type of vehicle you drive, wearing your seat belt is the best defense against impaired, aggressive, and distracted drivers. Even if your car has airbags, the safest way to ride is properly buckled up. It is simple. Always place the shoulder belt across the middle of your chest and away from your neck, and place the lap belt across your hips, not your stomach. You should never put the shoulder belt behind your back or under your arm. When purchasing a new car, be sure to check that its seat belts fit you.

In 2020, more than half of all young adults’ ages 18 to 34 killed in crashes were completely unrestrained. Men make up the majority of those killed in crashes, representing 67% of all passenger vehicle occupant deaths in 2020. Data show 55% of men killed in crashes were not wearing a seat belt, compared to 43% of women killed in crashes.