Drivers and passengers in Minnesota are being urged to drive smart and wear a seat belt as part of a new campaign.
The Click It or Ticket campaign, which is being co-ordinated by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety (DPS-OTS), runs until September 30 and will see extra enforcement of the seat belt law.
“Most Minnesotans are buckling up and that’s so encouraging,” said Mike Hanson, Office of Traffic Safety Director.
“What’s very discouraging and sad is the tremendous amount of heartache and pain over lives lost in unbelted crashes. It’s so preventable. Education and enforcement help, but they’re not enough. We really need each Minnesotan to take a long look at what’s most important in their lives and drive smart to stay alive.”
In 2019, 73 unbelted motorists lost their lives on Minnesota roads and 77 percent occurred in Greater Minnesota.
Minnesota law states that drivers and passengers in all seating positions must wear seat belts or be in the correct child restraint. Officers will ticket unbelted drivers or passengers. Occupants must correctly wear seat belts low and snug across the hips, and they should never tuck straps under an arm or behind the back.
The Click It or Ticket campaign is being funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
