Who:
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Patrol Operations Bureau

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

What:
Pinellas deputies are participating in the 2017 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration “Click It or Ticket” campaign. The campaign will focus on safety education, strong laws, and law enforcement officers saving lives. The campaign will be used as an opportunity to increase awareness and promote seat belt usage.

When:
The educational phase of the “Click It or Ticket” campaign started on Monday, May 15, 2017 and will run through Sunday, May 21, 2017.

The enforcement phase of the campaign will begin on Monday, May 22, 2017 and continue through Sunday, June 4, 2017.  

Where:
The campaign will be conducted throughout Pinellas County.

Why/How:
Pinellas deputies are participating in the 2017 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration “Click It or Ticket” campaign. The campaign will focus on safety education, strong laws, and law enforcement officers saving lives. The campaign will be used as an opportunity to increase awareness and promote seat belt usage.

The campaign will follow a two phase progression. On Monday, May 15, 2017, deputies will begin Phase I of the “Click It or Ticket” campaign. Deputies will focus on educating drivers with the issuance of warnings for seat belt violations. Phase I will continue through Sunday, May 21, 2017.

On Monday, May 22, 2017, deputies will begin Phase II focusing on the issuance of citations for seat belt violations. Phase II will continue through Sunday, June 4, 2017.

The enforcement efforts will take place at various locations throughout Pinellas County.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 9,874 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2015 were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash. In addition, unbelted fatalities are more prevalent at night than during the daytime: 51 percent of those killed in 2015 during the overnight hours of 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m. were unbelted at the time of the crash. 

Pinellas deputies will continue to enforce and promote seat belt usage throughout the year.