Buckle up: Officials advocate for fewer roadway deaths

At the far end of State Highway 4 and with SpaceX rockets as a backdrop, Texas highway and law enforcement officials on Thursday kicked off the 20th Texas Click It Or Ticket Campaign to promote seat belt use and save lives.

“The message of this campaign is as important today as it was 20 years ago. Buckling up is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your loved ones from serious injury and from death,” said Dr. Maggie Guttles, Texas Region 6 administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

She said the the Texas campaign is part of a national effort across all 50 states to get people to use their seat belts. The campaign includes the Memorial Day weekend, the start of the summer driving season and a historically dangerous period for traffic safety.

“Our campaign message is simple and clear: If you don’t buckle up our law enforcement partners will give you an expensive ticket. During this year’s campaign there will be a no-excuses approach to stop the rising tide of deaths on Texas roads,” she said.

From May 23 through June 5, Texas officers will step up enforcement of the state’s seat belt and child car seat laws. Texas law requires everyone in a vehicle — front seat and back — to be wearing a seat belt or be properly secured in a child safety seat. Violators are subject to fines and fees totaling $200 for seat belt infractions and $250 for child safety seat violations.

Since its launch in 2002, the Texas Click It or Ticket Campaign has saved 6,792 lives, prevented 120,000 serious injuries and saved more than $26.23 billion in economic costs, Pedro “Pete” Alvarez, district engineer for the Texas Department of Transportation Pharr District, said.

“When the campaign started 20 years ago three out of every four drivers were using seat belts. Today, thanks to law enforcement’s support and help, nine out of 10 are using seat belts. That number needs to be 10 out of 10,” Alvarez said.

Guttles referenced a disheartening Cameron County statistic.

“You may know, sadly, that unrestrained fatalities, drivers and passengers not wearing seat belts, more than tripled from 2019 to 2020 in Cameron County. … These numbers and these statistics that we always talk about are people. These are mothers and fathers and sons and daughters. They’re family and friends. These are people, and we must work harder because these deaths and injuries are preventable,” Guttles said.

Precinct One Cameron County Commissioner Sylvia Benavides related a seat-belt incident involving her personally.

“Last year we had a tragic accident in the family, in the King Ranch area,” she said. “They were not driving, they ran out of gas and had pulled over on the shoulder into the grassy area. Needless to say, another vehicle came, an 18 wheeler, and hit them from behind,” Benavides said.

We lost our 47-year old nephew and my brother-in-law, his father was saved because he was wearing a seat belt, and that was just parked on the side of the road but it saved him. I can tell you personally that we have lived through it, we’ve taught it and it continues to be taught: the wearing of seat belts has increased but not enough. I urge everyone to buckle up, or if not, you’re gonna get a ticket.”

Guttles and others also referenced two additional statistics. The first shows that pickup truck drivers are 60% more likely to not be using seat belts. The second shows that 60% of fatal accidents involving drivers and passengers not wearing seat belts happen between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.

“Unfortunately, every day there are Texans needlessly suffering serious injuries or dying in traffic crashes because they’re not buckled up,” Alvarez said.

“We continue to see fewer motorists buckling up at night. Statistics show that 60% of fatal crashes happen between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. In total there were 1,226 people killed in crashes that were not wearing their seat belt a 14% increase. Unacceptable. That is an average of more than 3 people a day. Its not just about those that died in the crash. Those deaths affect many others. This is a legacy that can me easily prevented. Buckling up takes only a few seconds and can reduce the risk of dying in a crash by up to 60%. Seat belts save lives.”

Unfortunately reminders to wear seat belts aren’t enough for some people, Alvarez added. “For those people we’ve added the possibility off getting pulled over and getting an expensive ticket.”