2010 Click It or Ticket mobilization kicks off in Illinois

Chicago - The Illinois Department of Transportation's Division of Traffic Safety (IDOT/DTS) today announced the kickoff of the 2010 Click It or Ticket Mobilization.  The Illinois State Police and hundreds of local law enforcement agencies will be cracking down on safety belt law violators from now through Memorial Day weekend.  Police will be placing a special emphasis on nighttime safety belt enforcement looking to counteract the overwhelming number of motor vehicle fatalities occurring during late night hours on Illinois roads. 

"Even with 9 out of 10 motorists buckling up in Illinois, far too many people are not buckling up at night, and far too many are dying as a result," said Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig. 
Motorists are being told nighttime safety belt enforcement will be increased and motorists who fail to buckle up will receive a ticket.  "IDOT is utilizing federal safety dollars to urge motorists through radio and TV announcements to buckle up, and to let them know that if they do not, police will give them a ticket.  It is not about money, it is about saving lives," Hannig continued.

"During the next three weeks, troopers, along with local law enforcement officers, will conduct numerous nighttime safety belt enforcement zones throughout the state to promote safety belt use with the hope of reducing the number of fatalities occurring during the late night hours," said Illinois State Police Acting Director Jonathon E. Monken.

Last year in Illinois, only two in ten of those individuals who died in crashes during the midnight to 3:00 am timeframe were properly restrained by a safety belt.  The picture is completely different during the higher-traffic, daytime hours when over six out of ten fatalities involved properly restrained persons.

According to data from IDOT's Division of Traffic Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2009 the midnight to 3:00 am timeframe was the deadliest time on Illinois roads with 106 vehicle occupant deaths during that time.

Not coincidentally, motorists buckle up at a much lower rate during these late-night hours.  Data shows for 2009, the midnight to 3:00 am timeframe had the lowest occupant restraint use involving motor vehicle fatalities with only 23 percent of those who died in crashes during this time properly restrained.  The 3:00 am to 6:00 am timeframe was second worst with 35 percent of those who died properly restrained.

For more information about Click It or Ticket in Illinois, go to www.buckleupillinois.org.

2009 Illinois Motor Vehicle Fatalities by Time of Day and Safety Belt Use