Dover, DE- As motorists take to the roads this Memorial Day holiday, Delaware law enforcement officers are urging everyone to buckle up.   Since May 13^th, law enforcement officials have been out in full force, taking part in the 2013 national Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement mobilization and cracking down on motorists who are not belted.

“As we kick-off  the busy summer driving season it’s important that everyone buckles up every time they go out, both day and night – no excuses,” said Jana Simpler, Director for the Delaware Office of Highway Safety. “Delaware law enforcement officers are prepared to ticket anyone who is not wearing their seat belt – Click It or Ticket.”

On the morning of May 20^th, Delaware will be joining forces with Pennsylvania and Maryland to mobilize the Click It or Ticket (CIOT) “Border to Border” enforcement operation.  Delaware State Police and Delaware River and Bay Authority Police will be joining Pennsylvania law enforcement at the Delaware Memorial Bridge to provide increased seat belt enforcement at border sites including I-95, I-495, and I-295.  Selbyville PD will be teaming up with Worchester County Sheriff’s Department on Rt. 113 at the Maryland/Delaware border to conduct seat belt enforcement.  All agencies will be sending a ‘zero tolerance’ message to the public: Driving or riding unbuckled will result in a ticket, no matter what State.  Several other states will also be participating in other areas along the northeast including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Vermont, and Massachusetts.

“Troopers urge motorists to make safety a top priority by properly buckling up!” said Sergeant Paul G. Shavack, Director of Public Information for the Delaware State Police. “Being properly restrained can substantially reduce your risk of being involved and/or injured in a crash. Remember, there is NEVER a good excuse to ride in a vehicle without wearing a seat belt.”

Currently, the number of unrestrained fatal crashes in Delaware is much higher than at this time last year. At this time last year 29% of the fatal vehicle occupants were not wearing seat belts compared to 53% currently.  There have been a total of 17 vehicle occupants killed in a fatal crash this year in Delaware.

Delaware law requires drivers and all passengers, including those in the back seat, to wear a seat belt.  An officer can pull over a driver if he sees any person in the vehicle not wearing a seat belt, even if there is no other violation. The ticket, which goes to the driver no matter who is unbuckled in the vehicle, totals $83.50.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 52 percent of the 21,253 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2011 were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash. As noted, deaths involving seat belt nonuse are more prevalent at night than during the daytime.  According to NHTSA, 62 percent of the 10,135 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2011 during the overnight hours of 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m. were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash.

For more on the national Click It or Ticket mobilization, please visit www.ohs.delaware.gov/seatbelts or www.nhtsa.gov.

Delaware Police Officers are ready for seat belt enforcement to begin today

Dover – The Click It or Ticket campaign will be in full effect with statewide overtime seat belt enforcement starting Monday, May 13th through 27th.  Daily enforcement traffic safety checkpoints and saturation patrols will be conducted day & night by 31 state, local, and municipal police agencies and statewide. Much of the enforcement will occur in the afternoons and evenings when the majority of unrestrained injuries and fatal crashes occur.

Currently, Delaware’s unrestrained fatal crashes are out pacing this time last year. At this time last year 29% of the fatal vehicle occupants were not wearing seat belts compared to 50% currently.

“For every death or injury on our roadways we must look for ways to reduce these tragedies.  Wearing a seat belt significantly decreases the risk of being seriously injured or killed in a crash. Remembering to buckle up for each and every trip is a simple way to prevent injuries and save lives,” said Secretary Lewis D. Schiliro, Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security.

Delaware law requires drivers and all passengers, including those in the back seat, to wear a seat belt.  An officer can pull over a driver if he sees any person in the vehicle not wearing a seat belt, even if there is no other violation.  Officers will be issuing citations for seat belt violations as part of a zero tolerance policy.  The ticket, which goes to the driver no matter who is unbuckled in the vehicle, totals $83.50.

Participating agencies include Blades, Bridgeville, Camden, Capitol, Clayton, Delaware City, DE River & Bay Authority, Dewey Beach, Dover, Elsmere, Felton, Fenwick Island, Georgetown, Greenwood, Harrington, Laurel, Middletown, Milford, Millsboro, Milton, New Castle City, New Castle County, Newark, Newport, Rehoboth Beach, Seaford, Smyrna, University of Delaware, Wilmington, and Wyoming police agencies along with and Delaware State Police.

Delaware law enforcement will also be participating in a one day seat belt boarder to boarder enforcement blitz on May 20^th at the Delaware & Pennsylvania line along I-95.  Law enforcement agencies that share State borders will team up to provide increased seat belt enforcement at border sites, sending a ‘zero tolerance’ message to the public: Driving or riding unbuckled will result in a ticket, no matter what State. Other states participating include Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Vermont, Maryland, and Massachusetts.

“As we kick-off  the busy summer driving season it’s important that everyone buckles up every time they go out, both day and night – no excuses,” said Jana Simpler, Director for the Office of Highway Safety. “Delaware law enforcement officers are prepared to ticket anyone who is not wearing their seat belt – Click It or Ticket.”

Click It or Ticket enforcement is being accompanied by paid media including radio, tv, print, billboards, digital & Pandora advertising. OHS will also promote seat belt safety through community outreach and public awareness activities including the Buckle Up Stencil project, seat belt checks, and race weekend activities at Dover International Speedway in the Monster Mile FanZone.  OHS is also partnering with Tommy Baldwin Racing and NASCAR driver JJ Yeley at Dover to promote seat belt safety.

Seat belt checks are being conducted at Newark, Caesar Rodney, Milford, Seaford and Indian River high schools by the student resource officers along with student groups.  They are handing out Smarties candy and dum-dum lollipops along with good and bad ‘tickets’ to occupants in the car depending on who is buckled up or not.

Newark and Milford high schools are participating in the Buckle Up stencil project. The stencil serves as a visual reminder to Buckle Up before leaving the parking lot and is an image of two hands clicking a seat belt together with the works Buckle Up underneath.

Milford High School will also be holding a seat belt event on Wednesday May 29^th for students that will include the roll over convincer, Racing Limo display, seat belt demo with high striker game, and OHS seat belt information table. Various prizes and items will be given to students participating in the seat belt activities.  Dover International Speedway has also donate tickets to the upcoming NASCAR Nationwide Series race to be given out to students who are caught buckled up during the seat belt check.

OHS will once again team up with Tommy Baldwin Racing and NASCAR driver JJ Yeley to promote seat belt safety at Dover International Speedway.  OHS will be the primary sponsor on the #36 TBR car and wrap it in Click It or Ticket messaging, and JJ Yeley will sign autographs at the OHS booth in the FanZone.

Seat belts save lives. Get the facts:

• Wearing a seat belt decreases your risk of being seriously injured or killed in a crash by approximately 50%.
• Strong seat belt laws protect families.  When parents are buckled up, 90% of the time their children are too.
• Hospital data shows that unbelted occupants in crashes are 3 times more likely to require a hospital stay. On average, hospital costs for an unbelted crash victim are 55% higher than those for a belted crash victim.

For more information on Click It or Ticket campaign and enforcement results please visit www.ohs.delaware.gov/seatbelts, Like us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ArriveAliveDE or follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/DEHighwaySafe .

Officers are on the lookout for unbelted motorists day and night.

Dover – Did you know that you are three times more likely to be in a car crash at night and wearing a seat belt decreases your risk of being injured or killed by approximately 50%? Delaware law enforcement officers are currently on the lookout for unbelted motorists during the first seat belt enforcement campaign of 2013. Drive without a seat belt and a ticket could be the least of your worries.

Delaware’s seat belt use rate dropped from 90% in 2011 to 88% in 2012 with Kent County having the lowest use rate of 79%.  Sussex County had the highest use rate of the three counties at 90%.  Last year, only 50% of the vehicle occupants killed in a car crash were wearing their seat belts.

Delaware law requires drivers and all passengers, including those in the back seat, to wear a seat belt.  The lap and shoulder belts must be worn and shoulder belts must not be placed behind the back or under the arm.  An officer can pull over a driver if they see any person in the vehicle not wearing a seat belt, even if there is no other violation.  Officers  are issuing citations for seat belt violations as part of a zero tolerance policy.

Enforcement will be accompanied by a statewide public awareness and paid media campaign that reflects on real life unbelted crashes, injuries, and fatals encountered by Delaware paramedics.  Paramedics see first-hand the life changing consequences of being involved in a crash and not buckling up.

Paid media will be in the forms of radio ads, Pandora radio, T.V. ads, and internet advertising and will also be accompanied by community outreach events to promote seat belt safety.

Get the facts:

• Did you know that fewer than 1/3 of Delaware’s unrestrained fatals occur during the daytime?
• Hospital data shows that unbelted occupants in crashes are 3 times more likely to require a hospital stay. On average, hospital costs for an unbelted crash victim are 55% higher than those for a belted crash victim.
• Strong seat belt laws protect families.  When parents are buckled up, 90% of the time their children are too.

For more information on seat belt enforcement results and a look at updated campaign materials, please visit www.ohs.delaware.gov, like us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ArriveAliveDE or follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/DEHighwaySafe .