Police Participate in Thanksgiving Travel Seat Belt Safety Campaign

Published on November 17, 2023

ARLINGTON, Va. – This Thanksgiving holiday, the Arlington County Police Department is again partnering with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on the high-visibility Click It or Ticket seat belt awareness campaign. From November 19 to November 30, the law enforcement community will be working together to reduce the number of fatalities that occur when vehicle passengers fail to buckle up. Everyone wants you to reach your destination safely, so it is critical to practice safe driving habits, like buckling your seat belt, on each and every ride.  

According to NHTSA, there were 361 passenger vehicle occupants killed in traffic crashes across the nation during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in 2021 (6 p.m. on Wednesday, November 24, to 5:59 a.m. on Monday, November 29). Half (50%) were unrestrained. Not wearing a seat belt proved to be deadly at any time of the day during the holiday weekend: 52% of those killed in nighttime crashes were unbuckled, and 46% of those killed in daytime crashes also were unbuckled. Wearing a seat belt is one of the most effective things anyone can do to prevent injury or death in a vehicle collision. The Click It or Ticket campaign combines powerful messages about seat belt safety with increased enforcement for unbuckled motorists.

Virginia law requires those under the age of 18 to be properly secured in a safety belt or child safety seat, no matter where they are sitting in the vehicle, and the driver is responsible for making sure this happens. In addition, Virginia law requires those in the front seat of vehicles to be properly restrained, regardless of age, and those 18 and older can be ticketed.  

To learn more about the NHTSA Click It or Ticket campaign, visit their website.