Click It or Ticket Seatbelt Campaign Begins November 16

Published on November 15, 2021

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Thanksgiving holiday is traditionally one of the busiest travel times of the year. As the holiday approaches, the Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) is teaming up with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on the national Click It or Ticket campaign. Law enforcement agencies across the country will increase enforcement efforts from November 16 – 28, 2021, to work towards reducing the number of fatalities that occur when motorists fail to buckle up. Everyone wants you to reach your destination safely, so it is critical to practice safe driving habits, like buckling your seat belt, on each and every ride.

MORE NEWS: Fall Street Smart Campaign underway to reduce the number of collisions and injuries on our roadways

According to NHTSA, there were 279 passenger vehicle occupants killed in traffic collisions across the United States during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in 2019. Nighttime proved even more deadly, with 52% of those collisions occurring during nighttime hours. Wearing a seat belt is one of the most effective things anyone can do to prevent injury or death in a vehicle collision. The Click It or Ticket campaign combines powerful messages about seat belt safety with increased enforcement for unbuckled motorists.

Virginia law requires those under the age of 18 to be properly secured in a safety belt or child safety seat, no matter where they are sitting in the vehicle, and the driver is responsible for making sure this happens. In addition, Virginia law requires those in the front seat of vehicles to be properly restrained, regardless of age, and those 18 and older can be ticketed.  

For more information about NHTSA’s Click It or Ticket campaign, visit their website.