The Governor's Highway Safety Program announced Monday that the statewide enforcement and awareness campaign will run through May 31, coinciding with one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.
Officials said the campaign combines increased law enforcement patrols with public education efforts aimed at reducing injuries and deaths caused by people not wearing seat belts or child safety restraints.
"Wearing a seatbelt remains one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect yourself in a crash," GHSP Director Mark Ezzell said in a statement. "Taking just a few seconds to buckle up can save your life and the lives of others in your vehicle."
According to the Governor's Highway Safety Program, officers issued 4,762 citations during last year's Memorial Day enforcement campaign for drivers and passengers not wearing proper restraints.
State data also shows that in 2024, more than 460 people were killed and another 1,027 seriously injured in crashes where seat belts or child safety seats were not used.
Law enforcement agencies across North Carolina will be increasing patrols throughout the holiday travel period to ensure drivers and passengers are properly restrained, officials said.
The Memorial Day weekend traditionally marks the unofficial start of summer travel, bringing heavier traffic volumes to interstates, highways and local roads statewide.
Safety officials are also reminding drivers to avoid distractions, obey posted speed limits and plan ahead before traveling.
The "Click It or Ticket" campaign is conducted annually nationwide to encourage seat belt use and improve roadway safety during peak travel periods.
Fun Fact
North Carolina's Click It or Ticket campaign was the first in the nation and is now used as the model by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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