05/17/1 Marshall County Police announced its participation in the state’s 2011 Click It or Ticket enforcement mobilization from Friday, May 20th through Sunday, June 5th. Officers will join more than 260 state and local law enforcement agencies, including the Indiana State Police, to conduct high-visibility patrols targeting Hoosiers who fail to buckle up.
Despite achieving a record high observed seat belt usage rate of 92.4% for all vehicles, not all Indiana resident are taking the use of seat belts seriously. According to the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI), there were 754 fatalities on Hoosier roadways in 2010. More than half of those killed (54 percent) were unrestrained.
“It is common knowledge that wearing a seat belt can mean the difference between life and death in a collision, yet everyday we see motorists who simply refuse to buckle up. High-visibility enforcement efforts like Click It or Ticket give police the opportunity to remind the public about the life saving benefits of seat belt use, and remind them that driving without one is against the law,” said a representative from the Marshall County Police Department.
In 2007, Governor Mitch Daniels signed legislation requiring all Hoosier motorists to wear a seat belt regardless of vehicle type, or seating position. As a result of this measure and the dedicated efforts of law enforcement, Indiana’s overall seat belt usage rate increased to a record 92.4 percent.
Marshall County, Plymouth, Bremen, Bourbon, Culver and Argos Police officers will work overtime to conduct seat belt patrols around the clock, however, they plan to focus special attention on nighttime drivers. Research has shown that motorists are less likely to be restrained during night hours, increasing their risk of death or injury in a collision by more that 40 percent.
“Buckling your seat belt should be the first thing you do each time you get behind the wheel, for those who don’t, we’ll be out there, both day and night looking for you.”
