Over 24 days, the Culver Police Department (CPD) issued a total of 63 citations and warnings as part of the national “Click It or Ticket” mobilization. Forty drivers and passengers were issued seatbelt tickets, while three drivers were issued child restraint citations. Other offenses found during the increased traffic enforcement included driving while suspended, speed, and miscellaneous equipment and moving violations. Indiana law requires the driver and all passengers to buckle up.
More than 230 Indiana law-enforcement agencies joined thousands across the nation to enforce seat-belt laws in cars and trucks, for both children and adults, in the front seat and back, both day and night. The overtime, highly visible traffic patrols were supported with federal traffic-safety funds administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.
“We enforce seat belts and other traffic laws to protect the lives of our community members on the road,” said CPD Deputy Chief Chad Becker. “With the summer travel season now underway, remember to always buckle up – every trip, every time – and use a sober driver.”
Don’t be a statistic
Hoosiers are more likely to suffer property damage, injuries or death in a traffic crash than be a victim of burglary, violent crime or murder, respectively. And the small number of Hoosier motorists (6.6 percent) who still don’t buckle up make up more than half of roadway deaths.
Male drivers, particularly those age 15-44, are the least likely to be buckled during a crash. Injury rates among unrestrained motorists are also higher:
- • In rural counties,
- • When a driver is speeding or impaired, and/or
- • On weekend nights between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m.
Buckle up for your family
Don’t just buckle up for yourself; think about your friends and family. During a crash, unrestrained passengers can become projectiles that injure or kill others in the car.
Parents who don’t buckle themselves up are more likely to have unbuckled kids. That means one ticket for the driver and one for each unrestrained child under 16.
Traffic crashes are a leading killer of children ages 1 to 13. The back seat is the safest place for children under 13 to ride.
Indiana law requires all children under age 8 to be properly restrained in child car seat or booster seat.
- • Choose the safest car seat for your child’s height and weight at www.safercar.gov/therightseat.
- • Find a certified car-seat safety technician to assist with installation and proper usage at www.preventinjury.org/Child-Passenger-Safety/Child-Safety-Seat-Inspection-Stations or through the SaferCar app on the App Store or Google Play.
Seat-belt tips
What is the best way to reduce your chances of injury or death? Buckle up! Below are tips for proper seat-belt use:
- • Secure the lap belt across your hips and pelvis, below your stomach.
- • Place the shoulder belt across the middle of your chest and rib cage, away from your neck.
- • Never put the shoulder belt behind your back or under an arm.
- • If your seat belt doesn’t fit you, or you have an older car with lap belts only, ask your dealer or vehicle manufacturer about seat-belt adjusters, extenders or retrofits.
