Law enforcement agencies and transportation safety officials are delivering a simple, but potentially life-saving message to all motorists: Buckle up – every seat – every trip.
During the annual Click It or Ticket seat belt campaign that begins June 22 and runs through July 5, law enforcement agencies across the state will patrol in greater numbers for longer hours to help ensure motorists are traveling safely.
Wisconsin’s current seat belt use rate is 90.2 percent – the highest ever, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Still, of all the car and light truck occupants killed in Wisconsin traffic crashes last year, 44 percent were not wearing a seat belt.
Wisconsin’s primary seat belt law, in place since 2009, allows law enforcement to stop and cite motorists for failing to wear a seat belt. Drivers can also be cited for every unbuckled passenger in their vehicle. Failure to fasten a seat belt is among the most common traffic violations in Wisconsin and resulted in 41,654 traffic convictions last year.
