HOUSTON – May marks the 15th anniversary of the “Click It or Ticket” campaign that urges Texans to buckle up.
Since its inception 15 years ago, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates the campaign has resulted in 5,068 fewer traffic fatalities.
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From 2015-2016, deaths among people not wearing seat belts increased 9 percent, according to reports.
“Wearing a seat belt is the single-most important step you can take to protect yourself in a crash, and in Texas it’s the law,” said Texas Department of Transportation executive director James Bass. “People make a lot of excuses for not buckling up, but those excuses will not save your life or prevent you from getting a ticket. The fact is, it only takes a few seconds to buckle up and it could mean the difference between life and death.”
The NHTSA said the campaign has also prevented more than 86,000 serious injuries and saved the state more than $19.3 billion in related economic costs.
When the campaign started in 2002, only 76 percent of Texans used their seat belts. Now, nearly 92 percent buckle up. The number of people who don't buckle up at night doubles -- to 16 percent, according to the NHTSA.
In 2016, 994 people died because they weren't wearing seat belts, 9 percent more than the 908 fatalities in 2015.
In Texas, the law requires everyone in a vehicle to buckle up or face fines and court costs up to $200. Children younger than 8 years must be in a child safety seat or booster seat unless they’re taller than 4 feet 9 inches. If they aren’t properly restrained, the driver faces fines up to $250 plus court costs.
To learn more about “Click It or Ticket,” visit texasclickitorticket.com.