The Riverside County Sheriff's Office has launched its annual "Click It or Ticket" campaign to remind Californians about the importance of seat belt safety. The campaign, running from May 20 to June 2, aims to encourage drivers and passengers to always buckle up and secure children in the appropriate car seats.
Sergeant Ignacio Robles emphasized the significance of seat belt usage, stating, “Wearing a seat belt should be automatic for all drivers and passengers every trip." He further added, "Seat belts save lives, and everyone – front seat and back, child and adult – needs to remember always to buckle up."
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), statistics show that nearly 12,000 people killed in crashes across the country in 2021 were not wearing seat belts. In California specifically, there were 878 fatalities in crashes in 2021 where individuals were not wearing seat belts, marking a 12.3 percent increase from the previous year.
In compliance with California law, children must be secured in a safety or booster seat until they are at least 8 years old or reach a height of at least 4 feet 9 inches. Additionally, children under the age of 2 are required to ride in a rear-facing seat unless they weigh 40 or more pounds or measure 40 or more inches tall.
Funding for the "Click It or Ticket" campaign was made possible through a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, in partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. For further inquiries, the Media Information Bureau can be contacted for media-related information regarding the campaign.