This year’s “Click It or Ticket” campaign runs from May 20 to June 2, and during this time, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will have additional officers on patrol actively looking for drivers and passengers who are not wearing a seat belt. This includes vehicles where children are not secured in child safety seats or the right safety seats for their age.
“Wearing a seat belt should be automatic for all drivers and passengers every trip,” Sgt. Michael Lennig said. “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, nearly 12,000 people killed in crashes throughout the country in 2021 were not wearing seat belts. In California, 878 people killed in crashes in 2021 were not wearing seat belts, an increase of 12.3% from 2020.
California law requires a child to be secured in a safety or booster seat until they are at least 8 years old or at least 4 feet, 9 inches tall. Children under the age of 2 must ride in a rear-facing seat unless the child weighs 40 or more pounds or is 40 or more inches tall.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
First published in the May 30 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
