Police Are Buckling Down on People Who Don’t Buckle Up
After 432 car crashes occurred in Houston this past year, with 166 of those
collisions being fatal, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)
is rolling out its 19th annual “Click it or Ticket” campaign this May through June
6, 2021. The TxDOT revealed studies that show pickup drivers, nighttime
drivers, and vehicle passengers tend to avoid wearing a seat belt, and
59% of people who were killed on the roads at night time didn’t
wear their seat belts. As you can see, seat belt laws are life-saving.
The proof is in the numbers.
What does this mean for you?
Essentially, Texas police officers will be cracking down on seat belt violators
starting next week, just in time for Memorial Day weekend. This strict
enforcement of the state’s seat belt laws will likely continue throughout
the summer months, meaning it is crucial to buckle up because you may
get a ticket, or worse, hurt or killed in a car accident.
What Are the Penalties for Not Wearing a Seat Belt in Texas?
If you are pulled over for not wearing a seat belt in Texas, you will get
penalized with fines and court costs totaling up to $200. If children
under 8 are not properly restrained in a child safety seat or booster
seat, the driver will get fined up to $250 plus court costs, unless the
child is taller than 4 feet 9 inches.
Although a seat belt violation for noncommercial drivers does not result
in points on their records, a child restraint violation could result in 2 points.
How Effective Is the “Click It or Ticket” Campaign?
Wearing your seat belt is a simple way to save your life should you get
into a car accident. Not to mention, wearing a seat belt will save you
the fees and penalties resulting from a traffic ticket. As mentioned before,
Texas law enforcement agencies are stepping up seat belt enforcement through June 6th of this year, and we list some statistics below to demonstrate the impacts
and reasons behind the “Click It or Ticket” campaign:
- Wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of death by 45% for front-seat passengers
- Wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of death by 60% for passengers in pickups
- Only 76% of Texans reported using their seatbelts when the campaign launched
in 2002, but today, almost 91% of Texans report using their seatbelts
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that
the campaign has saved 6,234 lives
- The NHTSA estimates the campaign prevented more than 100,000 serious injuries
- The NHTSA estimates the campaign saved Texas more than $23.6 billion in
related economic costs
Got Pulled Over in Irving?
At best, a traffic ticket for not wearing a seat belt can be inconvenient
and expensive. At worst, however, you could suffer increased penalties
like driver’s license suspension if you accumulated enough points
on your driving record from previous traffic violations.
Attorney Roland Jeter has over 30 years of experience helping people in
your shoes. To learn how he can help fight your ticket, give the firm
a call at (920) 330-4050!