DES MOINES — According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2020, there were 10,893 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in the United States. In that same year, 58% of crash victims killed at night (6 PM – 5:59 AM) were not wearing their seatbelts. According to the Iowa DOT, 94 people were killed in 2021 on Iowa’s roadways who were not wearing their seatbelts.
Law enforcement agencies across Iowa will be participating in the national Click It or Ticket campaign from May 23 – June 5, 2022. In an effort to combat fatality and injury crashes, officers will be exhibiting zero tolerance for drivers who are not buckled, speeding, or driving while distracted or impaired.
Not wearing a seatbelt is dangerous and puts everyone in the vehicle in jeopardy. Those not wearing a safety belt become a projectile and kill others who are buckled. In Iowa, the maximum penalty for a seat belt violation is $135.50 (Iowa code 321.445).
Good habits start with young drivers. SAFE (Seatbelts Are For Everyone) is a peer to peer program for teenagers encouraging seatbelt use. To get your school involved, contact Cathy Slade at [email protected] or 515-766-8307.
The Iowa Department of Public Safety, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau and the Crash Dummies (Vince and Larry) remind you to always Buckle Up, Every Trip, Every Time. Stay tuned for more on the Crash Dummies “Wrecked It” Reunion Tour.
Wrecked-In Reunion Tour
Genie Sterbenz
Program Administrator, Governor's Traffic Safety Bureau
May 18, 2022