(WGNO) — The national Click It or Ticket campaign runs from May 23 to June 5, and law enforcement agencies across Louisiana are promising to be big participants.
Chief of the Westwego Police Department, Dwayne Munch, says the attention on seat belt use is necessary.
“Time after time, we see the deadly results that come from drivers and passengers refusing to wear a seat belt,” Munch says in a written statement.
But it’s not just Westwego. Livingston Parish deputies are promising to patrol day and night, looking for seat belt violations. New Orleans police are also participating.
Thibodaux police say they will have extra officers dedicated to, “…saturated enforcement efforts.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Commission, in 45% of all traffic related deaths in 2013 seat belts were not used.
Jefferson Parish deputies say they’ll increase seat belt patrols as well, and not just during daylight hours. Deputies say that statistics show people are less likely to wear seat belts at night.
Not only are agencies using the campaign to crack down on seat belt use, some are also planning events to help encourage proper seat belt use. Plaquemines Parish deputies are hosting a free child car seat safety check and installation event. It will be on Saturday, May 21, from 10am to 1pm at the sheriff’s office Administration and Training Facility located at 8022 Highway 23 in Belle Chasse. Louisiana State Police will also be participating in the event.
For many agencies, working to encourage seat belt use is an around the calendar operation. Recently Covington police organized a t-shirt campaign at the city’s high schools to reward students who were seen wearing their seat belts as they left for the day.