ECPD to conduct strict ‘Click It or Ticket’ enforcement

El Centro Police Department announced Tuesday it will be conducting strict enforcement from May 21 through June 3 to stop and ticket both drivers and passengers for failing to use vehicle safety-belt restraints.

The police department’s two-week campaign is part of the National Seat Belt campaign, Click It or Ticket, which runs concurrently with the upcoming busy holiday travel season.

Throughout the two weeks, ECPD will deploy additional special traffic patrols specifically to stop and ticket both drivers and passengers for failing to wear seatbelts, as well as drivers who fail to secure children in the proper child restraint seats.

In 2016, one El Centro resident died due to failure to wear a seat belt, an ECPD news release stated. Across Imperial County, a total of 47 have died unrestrained as either a driver or passenger.

Statewide, 426 individuals were found to be unrestrained at the time of the collision. It is estimated that 74 would have survived had they simply buckled up.

“Buckling up is such a simple task to help keep you and your family safe in the car,” said ECPD Chief Brian Johnson. “Buckling up is the law, but the true spirit is for the safety of the traveling public. Tragically, our law enforcement personnel see the consequences of not buckling up. We see the loss of life and injuries at the scene of a crash. Often, deaths could have been prevented and injuries reduced with the simple click of a seat belt. This should be automatic.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 48 percent of vehicle passengers killed in crashes in 2016 were unrestrained.

During the hours of 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., the number increased to 56 percent of passengers killed.

“Police, Sheriff and the CHP will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement, writing citations day and night,” the news release stated.

In California, the minimum penalty for a seat belt violation is $162.

“This Memorial Day period and, in fact, every day, we want everyone in every vehicle to remember that buckling up could be their greatest defense in a crash,” said California Office of Traffic Safety Director Rhonda Craft. “Putting on a seat belt is one of the quickest, simplest and most effective ways to ensure you and your loved ones remain safe and sound on the road.”

“If you know a friend or a family member who does not buckle up when they drive, please ask them to consider changing their habits,” said Chief Johnson. “Help us spread this life-saving message before one more friend or family member is killed as a result of this senseless inaction. Seat belts save lives, and everyone—child and adult— needs to remember to buckle up—every trip, every time.”