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News and
Information
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April 16, 2007
 “CLICK
IT OR TICKET” PLANNER
FACT
SHEET & TALKING POINTS
“Click It or Ticket” Launched to Boost Seat Belt Use – And
to Save Lives
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According to the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),
in 2005, 15,294 passenger vehicle occupants died in
traffic crashes between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and
5:59 a.m.
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Fifty-nine percent of
those killed were NOT wearing their seat belts at
the time of the crash. That percentage is considerably
higher than the 44 percent of passenger vehicle
occupants who were unrestrained and killed during
daytime hours.
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Regular seat belt use
is the single most effective way to protect people and
reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes.
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Nationally in 2005,
77 percent of the passenger vehicle occupants who were
in a fatal crash and who were buckled up, survived the
crash.
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When worn correctly,
seat belts have proven to reduce the risk of fatal
injury to front-seat passenger car occupants by 45
percent – and by 60 percent in pickup trucks, SUVs and
mini-vans.
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Nearly one in five
Americans (19 percent nationally) still fail to
regularly wear their seat belts when driving or riding
in a motor vehicle.
Nighttime Drivers, Young Males, and Teens Among Those Least
Likely to Buckle Up and At Greatest Risk
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Men – especially
younger men – are much less likely to buckle up. In
2005, 67 percent of male drivers and 74 percent of male
passengers between the ages of 18 and 34 in passenger
vehicles who were killed in crashes were NOT
wearing their seat belts.
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According to NHTSA,
pickup truck drivers and passengers, particularly among
young males, consistently have the lowest seat belt
usage rates of all motorists.
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In 2006, the observed
seat belt use rate in pickup trucks was only 74 percent
compared to 82 percent in passenger cars and 84 percent
in vans and SUVs.
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This lack of seat
belt use is deadly. In 2005, 68 percent of pickup truck
drivers and 71 percent of pickup truck passengers who
were killed in traffic crashes were not buckled up.
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One of the deadliest
outcomes in any vehicle crash occurs when passengers get
ejected from the vehicle – with most ejections coming
from failure to wear seat belts.
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In fact, 75 percent
of passenger vehicle occupants who were totally ejected
from their vehicle in 2005 were killed. But only one in
100 drivers and passengers in fatal crashes who were
wearing their seat belts were totally ejected.
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Motorists can
increase the odds of survival in a rollover crash in a
light truck by nearly 80 percent by wearing their
seat belt.
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During 2005, more
than one in ten (or 12.6 percent) of all drivers
involved in fatal crashes across the U.S. were drivers
between the ages of 15 and 20.
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An alarming 62
percent of teenage passenger vehicle occupants killed in
fatal crashes during 2005 were NOT wearing a seat
belt at the time of the crash.
No More Excuses – “Click It or Ticket”
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The Hampden Police
Department
is joining with hundreds of other state and local law
enforcement and highway safety officials across the
nation during mid-May through Memorial Day to launch an
aggressive national “Click It or Ticket” seat belt
enforcement mobilization to crack down on low seat belt
use and to reduce highway fatalities – with a new
emphasis this year on convincing more motorists to
buckle up – day and night.
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The goal is simple:
to save more lives by convincing drivers and passengers
– especially motorists at night – to always buckle up.
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Seat belt checkpoints
and other stepped-up law enforcement activities will be
conducted during the national “Click It or Ticket”
enforcement mobilization, which runs May 21- June 3.
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Unless you want to
risk a ticket, or worse - your life, you need to always
remember to “Click It or Ticket” day and night.
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For more information,
please visit www.nhtsa.gov/link/ciot.htm.
March 30, 2007
The Hampden Police
Department will join 210 other law enforcement agencies
throughout the commonwealth, including the Massachusetts
State Police, in the 2007 Road Respect Mobilization.
This mobilization runs from March 23 - April 8th. The
mobilization is sponsored through the Governor's Highway
Safety Bureau, which provides funding for extra traffic
enforcement and public information efforts.
In Hampden, our department will be adding extra patrols on
the road to specifically target aggressive drivers and
promote road respect. Here are some tips to reduce
aggressive and distracted driving:
Massachusetts law enforcement
recommends the following 10 tips to reduce aggressive and
distracted driving:
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Obey posted
speed limits. Allow extra travel time for traffic and bad
weather.
·
Always signal
your intentions when turning or changing lanes.
·
Come to a full
stop at red lights and stop signs. Never run yellow lights.
·
Let other
drivers pass and merge as necessary.
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On multi-lane
highways, use the left lane for passing only.
·
Avoid distracted
driving, especially if using a cell phone.
·
Refrain from
unnecessary use of your horn.
·
Pay attention to
the special needs of those who drive trucks and buses, ride
motorcycles and bicycles, along with pedestrians.
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Wear your safety
belt. It’s your best defense against an aggressive or
distracted driver.
If you encounter an aggressive or distracted driver:
·
Control your
emotions to avoid escalating the situation.
·
Avoid eye
contact and obscene gestures.
·
If a serious
incident occurs, contact the nearest police agency. If
using a cell phone, pull over at a safe location and dial
911.
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