While driving to visit with family or friends this Thanksgiving, don’t be a turkey. Wear your seat belt, or face a $161 fine.
That was the message shared in Wilmington where the Governor’s Highway Safety Program kicked off the Thanksgiving “Click It or Ticket” campaign. Officers across the state are stepping up enforcement efforts through Sunday, Dec. 1, to catch motorists who do not buckle up.
“The simple act of fastening your seat belt will not only save you the cost of an expensive ticket, but it could also save your life,” said Don Nail, director of the Governor’s Highway Safety Program. “Wearing a seat belt during a crash reduces chances of suffering critical injuries or death by 50 percent.”
The N.C. Department of Transportation echoed that sentiment in a public service announcement airing now online and on local radio stations, warning drivers in North Carolina that it is “Click It or Ticket.”
In May, the Governor’s Highway Safety Program celebrated the 20th anniversary of “Click It or Ticket.” The celebration continued with the announcement last month that seat belt usage statewide rose from 87.5 percent to 88.6 percent in the past year. The increase is a significant step in the right direction, but the Governor’s Highway Safety Program will not stop working until every driver in North Carolina clicks their seat belt.