"Click It or Ticket" Campaign to Begin May 23

Beginning May 23 and running through June 5, the Cranford Police Department announced that officers will be cracking down on unbuckled drivers and passengers as part of the "Click It or Ticket" campaign. 

Checkpoints through town and increased focus on seatbelt violations will be part of the intiative, police say in a press statement. Chief Eric Mason noted that accoding to N.J. Police Department statistics, front seatbelt useage in New Jersey rose for the foruteenth consecutive year, to about 93 percent of all motorists. 

 Mason added that while front seatbelt usage rates continue to incease, law enforcement and safety officials are aiming to see a 100 percent compliance rate. Seatbelts are one of the easiest ways to prevent major injury during an accident, he said.

“Using a seat belt is the simplest way for a driver and his or her passengers to protect themselves when traveling,” Mason explained. “Motor vehicle occupants who buckle-up increase their chances of surviving a crash by as much as 75 percent.”

Th driver and front passenger will not be the only ones police will be checking during this intiative. Chief Mason added that the campaign will also focus on rear seat passengers too, as legislation requiring adults sitting in rear seats  to buckle up passed last year. Mason explained that currently adult back seat belt use stands at only 27 percent.

 “Click it or Ticket” is an annual statewide intiative . During last year's campaign, 406 police agencies participated for two weeks, according to the press statement. Police officers issued 35,671 seatbelt citations, 5,832 speeding summonses and made 592 drunk driving arrests as a result of the increased patrolling.

The campaign will also include paid advertising campaigns throughout the state of New Jersey,  according to the Click it or Ticket website. 

The advertising is part of what state officials call a "two pronged" approach: Not only are tickets issued to unbelted motorists, but the increased publicity helps to keep people mindful of the fact that they may receive a ticket for not wearing a seatbelt.