As motorists pack their vehicles and hit the road over this Memorial Day holiday weekend, officials with the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI) are reminding everyone to make sure that their seat belts are buckled. It’s all a part of Indiana’s 2013 “Click It or Ticket” enforcement campaign to get more motorists to buckle in. This effort kicks off Friday, May 24, according to The Salem Leader.Our Highland car accident attorneys understand that the “Click It or Ticket” campaign is an effort that’s supported by thousands of law enforcement agencies across the nation. In our state alone, there are close to 350 law enforcement agencies that will be participating in this year’s efforts.
During last year’s enforcement efforts (the 21-day period), officers throughout the state cited more than 18,100 drivers for not wearing a seat belt. During the same times, there were more than 150 traffic accidents and a dozen fatalities involving un-belted motorists in the state. More than 90 of these accidents involved ejections because occupants weren’t buckled in.
During the Memorial Day weekend last year, there were more than 40 accidents and 2 deaths in the state involving motorists who were not wearing seat belts. There were 30 ejections because motorists weren’t buckled. Many of these injuries and fatalities could have been prevented if more motorists had chosen to wear their seat belt.
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), more than 145 people will be saved in car accidents because they wore their seat belt this weekend. Officials believe that more than 100 more could be saved if everyone were to wear their seat belt during this holiday travel period.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that more than 50 percent of the more than 21,250 passenger vehicle occupants who died in 2011 car accidents were not buckled in when the accident happened.
Fatalities among those who aren’t wearing a seat belt at the time of an accident are more common at night than during the day. As a matter of fact, the NHTSA reports that more than 60 percent of the 10,150 people who were killed in 2011 during the evening and early morning hours were not wearing a seat belt.
Unfortunately, these national statistics are alarmingly similar to the ones here in Indiana. In 2012, there were close to 3,500 accidents involving unbuckled motorists. These accidents involved close to 275 deaths. Close to 2,000 victims were ejected from their vehicle because they weren’t wearing a seat belt.
The younger motorists are the ones we’re talking to the most here. As a matter of fact, motorists between the ages of 18 and 34 are more likely to be killed in an accident than any other age group.
If there’s one thing you do this Memorial Day weekend, it should be to wear your seat belt. Whether you’re staying local or heading out of town, a seat belt can save your life!
Attorney Burton A. Padove represents auto accident accident victims. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, call (219) 836-2200 for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights.
More Blog Entries:
Indiana Traffic Safety Watch – Drunk Driving, Prom and Graduation, Indiana Injury and Family Lawyer Blog, April 23, 2013
Are You Daydreaming Your Way into a Distracted Driving Crash, Indiana Injury and Family Lawyer Blog, April 10, 2013