Highways

HONOLULU – Buckling up is important, everyday, day and night.The state Department of Transportation (DOT) and the four county police departments are reminding everyone to buckle up every day, day or night.  The national 2012 “Click It or Ticket” seat belt enforcement mobilization kicks off on May 20 and runs through June 3, but local law enforcement officers will be strongly enforcing seat belt safety laws around the clock and year-round.

In an effort to have drivers and passengers better protect themselves in the event of a motor vehicle crash, police statewide will be stepping up enforcement of the state seat belt and child passenger restraint laws day and night, year-round.  Hawaii’s seat belt laws require all front seat occupants and back seat passengers ages 17 and under to buckle up.  The child passenger restraint law requires children under 4 years of age to ride in a child safety seat, and children between the ages of 4 and 8 years to ride in either a child safety seat or a booster seat.  The cost of a ticket for not wearing a seat belt is $92.  Violators of the child passenger restraint law are required to attend a four-hour class and may be assessed a fine between $100 and $500, depending upon the number of offenses.

“The simple act of wearing a seat belt can protect you and your family from serious injury or even death,” said Dr. David Manning, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Regional Administrator for Region 9, which includes Hawaii.  “Buckling up to avoid a fine is the incentive, but buckling up to save a life should be the goal.  A seat belt will increase your chance of survival by 45 percent.  So, please, buckle up every trip every time.”

In 2011, there were 20 vehicular traffic fatalities between the hours of 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. in Hawaii.  Of the 20 fatalities, nine, or 45 percent, were not restrained.  Younger motorists and men are particularly at risk.  NHTSA 2010 data shows that among teen and young adult passengers ages 18 through 34 who were killed in motor vehicle crashes, 62 percent were not buckled up at the time of the crash – the highest percentage of any age group.

“Too many drivers and passengers on the road at night are not wearing their seat belts, and it all too often ends in tragedy,” said Caroline Sluyter, spokesperson for the state DOT.  “Some people are under the wrong impression that officers are only enforcing seat belt usage during the national Click It or Ticket campaign, which is two weeks out of the year.  With our new year-round Click It or Ticket campaign and with officers citing for seat belt violations day and night, we hope more people will buckle up.  Our goal is to save lives.”

The new “Day & Night, Year-Round” Click It or Ticket media and education campaign launched on May 18 with a new public service announcement (PSA) running at Consolidated Theatres and Regal Cinemas statewide.  Targeted at young adults ages 18 through 34, the PSA will also be shown on local television channels and aired on the radio.  Education efforts by the state DOT included distribution of 15,000 posters statewide to fire stations, local businesses, schools and churches.

In addition, this year, Tesoro Hawaii is partnering with the DOT by providing pump topper signage with the “Day & Night, Year-Round” message at 57 Tesoro gas stations around the state.

The “Day & Night, Year-Round” Click It or Ticket campaign combines the efforts of the state Departments of Transportation, Health and Education; the four county police departments; the Federal Highway Administration; the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration; and safe community coalitions.  Funding for the campaign and the PSA is provided by NHTSA.

For more information on the national Click It or Ticket mobilization, please visit www.nhtsa.gov.