With more people expected to take road trips as coronavirus restrictions ease, this Newport Beach Police Department is launching its “Click it or Ticket” campaign May 24 through June 6.
During this time, the Newport Beach police officers will actively look for drivers and passengers who are not wearing a seat belt. This includes drivers who do not secure children in child safety seats.
“Wearing a seat belt is the easiest and safest way to protect yourself in a vehicle,” Lieutenant Damon Psaros said. “It only takes a few seconds and is your best defense in the event of a crash.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), of the 22,215 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2019, 43 percent (9,466) were not wearing seat belts. In 2019, 620 passengers killed in crashes across California were not wearing a seat belt.
California law requires a child to be properly secured in a car or booster seat in the back seat, until they are at least 8 years of age or at least 4’9” tall. Children under the age of two must ride in a rear-facing seat unless the child weighs 40 or more pounds or is 40 or more inches tall.
California has a primary seat belt law, which allows law enforcement officers to ticket someone for not wearing a seat belt without committing another traffic violation.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
