The state Department of Transportation and the four county police departments will conduct the annual “Click It Or Ticket” seat belt enforcement campaign beginning Monday, May 21, through Sunday, June 3, 2007.

As part of the “Click It Or Ticket” campaign, Governor Linda Lingle and Lt. Governor James R. “Duke” Aiona, Jr. signed a proclamation on May 9, declaring the month of May as “Highway Safety Month.”

Police statewide will cite motorists not wearing their seatbelts in an effort to have motorists and passengers better protect themselves in the event of an auto accident.  Hawaii’s seatbelt laws require all front seat occupants to buckle up, as well as back seat passengers under the age of 18.  Violators of seat belt laws will be assessed a $92 fine.

State law also requires children under four years old to ride in a child safety seat. Violators of Hawaii's Child Passenger Restraint Law are required to attend a 4-hour class and may be assessed a fine between $100 and $500 depending upon the number of offenses.

Hawaii’s seat belt usage rate last year was 92.5 percent, a decrease from 95.3 percent in 2005.  In 2006, the national average for seat belt use was 81 percent.

“We want to remind drivers of the importance of our seat belt and child passenger restraint laws to encourage proper use in every vehicle," said state Department of Transportation Director Barry Fukunaga.  "It's important to remember that every person buckled up could be a life saved."

This year’s seat belt campaign will continue to focus on the lowest-rated groups of unbuckled drivers and passengers: the 18-25 year-old age group and drivers of pick-up trucks.  In addition to issuing citations to seat belt violations, police will enforce child restraint laws, ticketing drivers if children are not restrained properly in child safety seats in the vehicle's back seat.

During the May 2006 campaign, police officers around the state issued 3,337 citations for seat belt violations and 60 citations for child safety infractions.

National statistics have shown that the use of seat belts is the single most effective act that drivers can do to protect themselves in a traffic accident.  Preliminary statistics show that last year in Hawaii, 39 lives could have been saved if vehicle occupants were buckled up when involved in a crash.

The “Click It or Ticket” campaign combines the efforts of the state departments of Transportation, Health and Education, the four county police departments, the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and Safe Community coalitions.  Funding for the campaign is provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Television, radio and movie theater spots will air during the campaign to remind the public to buckle up.  Some radio stations plan to give prizes to those “caught” wearing their safety belts.

For more information about the “Click It or Ticket” campaign, contact the Safe Communities Office at 587-6300.

 

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