By Alan Lytle
Lexington, KY – State and local law enforcement are once again launching an all-out effort to promote seatbelt safety. The annual "click it or ticket" campaign runs from May 23rd through June 5th. Kentucky Office of Highway Safety Director Boyd Sigler, says officers will be out in full force checking to see if motorists are properly buckled up.
"Last year 760 people died on Kentucky's highways and more than five hundred of those were in motor vehicles. Kentucky's safety belt usage rate is 80% which is far behind the national rate of 84%. We know that this is clearly a problem that we are having in Kentucky."
Sigler says this year's campaign will put special emphasis on night- time drivers since a high percentage of fatalities that occurred between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. involved unrestrained vehicle occupants. The "Click it or Ticket" campaign is funded through a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.