New Jersey is cracking down on drivers and passengers who are not wearing seatbelts. The annual “Click It or Ticket” campaign began today (May 22) and runs through June 4. According to The Patch, $800,000 is awarded to local police for enhanced seat belt enforcement.
“Law enforcement agencies take a ‘no-excuses’ approach to seat belt enforcement,” the Attorney General’s office said. The maximum penalty for a seat belt violation in New Jersey is a $46 fine, added AG Matthew Platkin’s office.
“Click It or Ticket” is aimed to help with senseless driving and the safety of drivers and passengers. According to data from the Division of Highway and Traffic Safety, 47% of all people killed in motor vehicle crashes were not wearing a seat belt. In 2021, 160 unrestrained people died in New Jersey roadway crashes.
“Too many New Jerseyans needlessly lose their lives due to motor vehicle-related fatalities, and reducing these preventable deaths is a top priority for my office,” said Platkin. “Our campaign will help raise awareness of this critical and proven way of preventing serious injury or death in the event of a motor vehicle crash. Seat belts save lives – it’s that simple.”
How Is “Click It or Ticket” funded?
A grant from The Division of Highway and Traffic Safety (HTS) goes to 134 New Jersey law enforcement agencies to fund the campaign, said Attorney General Matthew Platkin, per the outlet. The funds are used for “increased road patrols, seat belt checkpoints, and other enforcement initiatives during the campaign.”
According to officials, last year’s “Click It or Ticket” campaign garnered 8,373 seatbelt violations across the state. 3,315 summonses for speeding were written up, as well as 278 arrests for impaired driving.
“New Jerseyans need to grasp how important it is to buckle up, every time, anywhere you are going,” said Michael J. Rizol Jr., Director of the Division of Highway Traffic Safety. “Taking a few seconds to buckle yourself in reduces your risk of fatal injury in a serious crash by fifty percent. There is no excuse for making the wrong decision, and if you do, you can expect to be pulled over and ticketed.”
Take a look below at which communities are receiving grant money and how much per the AG office: