Dupage Policy Journal

Naperville Police Department issued the following announcement on May 16.

As summer kicks off and travel increases, the Naperville Police Department is partnering with the Illinois Department of Transportation to remind motorists to Click It or Ticket.

The national seat belt enforcement campaign will take place May 18-29, concurrent with one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. Click It or Ticket enforces the use of seat belts and car seats to keep all motorists safe.

"Our officers see firsthand the loss of life when people refuse or neglect to buckle up," said Naperville Police Sgt. Derek Zook. "It's such a simple and effective way to protect yourself while traveling. As the Memorial Day weekend approaches, we want to make sure people are doing everything they can to stay safe in the unfortunate event of a crash."

Illinois has a 93.8 percent observed seat belt usage rate, but a disproportionate number of fatalities involve unbelted motorists and passengers. Of the 1,093 traffic deaths in 2017, where restraint use was known, 54 percent of those killed were not wearing seat belts.

Seat belt use traditionally drops even more in the overnight hours between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. That's why one focus of the Click It or Ticket campaign is nighttime enforcement. Naperville Police will be taking a no-excuses approach, writing citations day and night. Motorists caught not buckled up will be ticketed, and those caught driving impaired will be arrested.

"Please help us spread this life-saving message before one more friend or family member is killed as a result of this senseless inaction," said Sgt. Zook. "Seat belts save lives, and every vehicle occupant—front seat and back, child and adult—needs to remember to buckle up, every trip, every time. Together, we can make zero fatalities a reality in Illinois."

For more information on the Click It or Ticket mobilization, visit www.BuckleUpIllinois.org.

Original source can be found here.