Get Ready To Buckle Up…Click It Or Ticket Campaign Coming

Make sure you fasten your seat belt before you drive, otherwise you could be a little lighter in the wallet. The Newport Police Department says they are partnering with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office for their “Click It or Ticket” campaign. Starting next Monday, May 20 and running through June 2, participating agencies across the state of Tennessee will increase seat belt law enforcement as part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s nationwide mobilization.

Newport Police Chief Scott Lamb says his department wants to see seat belt become an automatic habit for drivers and passengers alike…not just because it is a safe thing to do, but because it’s the law. Chief Lamb says they have seen many lives that could have been saved in an accident if they had simply buckled up. In fact, according to Tennessee’s Integrated Traffic Analysis Network (TITAN), 43% of males killed in Tennessee crashes last year were not wearing their seat belts. Of females killed in crashes, 35% were not buckled up.

In Tennessee, the maximum penalty for not wearing your seat belt is a $30 fine for the first offense. That fine increases to $55 for every subsequent offense.