Williamson County Sheriff’s Office is joining forces with the Texas Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement agencies throughout Texas to increase seat belt use in anticipation of the busy summer driving season that starts Memorial Day weekend.
Stepped-up enforcement of the state’s seat belt laws between May 20 and June 2 is a key component of the Texas Department of Transportation’s annual Click It or Ticket safety campaign. Safety officials at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report that wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of dying in a car crash by 45{870dce3150dcce8b7f57e497f1835ac6446de711f3b298b842add65a7b4249b0} and up to 60{870dce3150dcce8b7f57e497f1835ac6446de711f3b298b842add65a7b4249b0} in a pickup truck.
According to recent TxDOT crash data, 982 people who weren’t wearing seat belts were killed last year in crashes on Texas roads. Nighttime is a particularly deadly time. In 2018, there were more than 2,000 fatalities and almost 7,000 serious injuries between 6 p.m. and 5:59 a.m.
State law requires everyone in a vehicle to buckle up or face fines and court costs of up to $200. Children younger than 8 years must be in a child safety seat or booster seat unless they’re taller than 4 feet 9 inches.
