JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — Wyoming law enforcement is reminding drivers about the lifesaving benefits of wearing a seat belt this spring during the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) national Click It or Ticket high-visibility enforcement effort. The national seat belt campaign, which coincides with the Memorial Day holiday, runs from May 23 to June 5.
“So far this year, 81 percent of fatal crashes have been with a motorist not wearing a seatbelt,” said Interim Administrator Lt. Colonel Shannon Ratliff of the Wyoming Highway Patrol. “I wish a ticket could change this high percentage and be the only consequence. Unfortunately, what we’re talking about is risking your life or the lives of your passengers when you or your passengers choose not to wear a safety belt. The Click It or Ticket campaign isn’t about citations; it’s about saving lives. Taking a few seconds to buckle up could be the difference between life and death.”
In 2020 in Wyoming, 44 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants were killed in crashes, and seatbelt usage was only 82.5%. Nationally, in 2020, 10,893 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants were killed in crashes in the United States.
Wyoming law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement, writing citations day and night to those who do not buckle up.
