Click It Or Ticket It Campaign Kicks Off Today

As we approach Thanksgiving and the holiday travel season TxDOT wants us all to buckle up and travel safely.

The Click It Or Ticket It campaign runs from today (11.16.20) through November 29th. During that time TxDOT officers will be extra vigilant in watching for people who haven't buckled up. Texas law requires that everyone in a vehicle is properly secured in both front or rear seating positions.

The fines and fees can range up to $200 for each infraction. Children younger than 8 years must be restrained in a child safety seat or booster seat until they reach a height of 4' 9". If a child is not secured, the driver faces a fine of up to $250.

Statistics show that wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of dying by 45% for those in the front seats of a passenger car. In a pickup truck, seat belts reduce your risk of dying by 60% because pickup trucks are more likely to roll over than passenger cars are.

According to TxDOT officials, there were 925 statewide traffic fatalities  involving an unbuckled driver or passenger in 2019. That's a 6% drop from the previous year. While only about 9% of Texans do not wear a seat belt, the lack of seat belt usage was reported in more than 40% of traffic fatalities.

In the Wichita Falls District, comprised of Archer, Baylor, Clay, Cooke, Montague, Throckmorton, Wichita, Wilbarger, and Young counties, 51 people were killed in roadway accidents in 2019. 25 of those were either not wearing their seatbelts, using only a lap belt, or the seat belt information was unknown.

While TxDOT's Click It Or Ticket It campaign only runs from November 16th through the 29th, Texans are encouraged to use their seat belts properly every time the travel by vehicle.