Texas ‘Click It Or Ticket’ Campaign Starts Monday

Texas State Rep. Roberto Alonzo, D-Dallas, along with the Texas Department of Public Safety are reminding motorists that the 10th annual “‘Click it or Ticket'” campaign starts Monday and runs through June 5.

Officers will be cracking down on seat belt use during this period which includes Memorial Day weekend.

“All drivers should set an example by using good highway safety sense, and this will keep all our highways accident-free,” Alonzo said.

Since 2009, state law requires that all passengers, including those in the backseat, to wear safety belts.

“Seat belts save lives, and that is the primary reason to buckle up, but we will have a zero-tolerance policy during this period, and violators will be ticketed if need be,” Texas Highway Patrol Assistant Director David Backer said.

Children younger than 8 years old must be in a child safety seat or booster seat unless they are taller than 4 feet 9 inches tall.

Parents can be ticketed for improperly securing children, that can cost from $25 to $250 not including court costs.

Since the campaign began 10 years ago, seat belt usage has increased from 76.1 percent to 93.8 percent, authorities said.

Experts from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that increase in seat belt usage has saved an estimated 2,843 lives in Texas over the past decade.

Traffic crashes remain the leading cause of death for people between the ages of one and 44 years old.