Darien police, along with various other police agencies around the state and nation, are looking for drivers who aren’t wearing their seatbelts, now through the Monday after Thanksgiving.
Here’s the police announcement, followed by information from state and federal transportation agencies:
The national “Click It or Ticket” enforcement wave will be taking place from Nov. 25 through Dec. 2, 2019.
The Darien Police Department will be joining hundreds of other law enforcement agencies across the country in renewing a pledge to save lives by intensifying efforts to enforce seatbelt laws among all motorists.
With the Thanksgiving Weekend approaching, Connecticut’s law enforcement agencies intend to promote safe driving and increase the protection of all motorists. Law enforcement officials are out on Connecticut’s roads enforcing the State Occupant Protection laws and issuing citations to those who are unbuckled. “Buckle Up – Every Trip. Every Time.”
Thanksgiving Weekend Deaths Last Year
From the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:
“[A] large number of passenger vehicle occupants [were] killed during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend last year weren’t wearing their seat belts — especially at night.
- 291 passenger vehicle occupants were killed
- 54% of those killed at night were unbuckled
- 42% of those killed during the day were unbuckled
“By driving sober, buckling up every time, and making sure your passengers do the same, you can help ensure that you and your loved ones arrive to your holiday destination safe and sound.”
Three Tips from ConnDOT
These three tips are from a longer list provided by the state Department of Transportation:
Image from ConnDOT
TIP #3 from ConnDOT: “Follow the guidelines shown in the photo […] As you can see, the lap belt and shoulder belt are secured across the pelvis and rib cage, which can withstand crash forces better than other parts of your body.”
- ONE: Buckling up is the single most effective thing you can do to protect yourself in a crash. In 2015, seat belts saved an estimated 13,941 people from dying. From 2011 to 2015 seat belts saved nearly 64,000 lives — enough people to fill a large sports arena. During a crash, being buckled up helps keep you safe and secure inside your vehicle, whereas being completely thrown out of a vehicle is almost always deadly. Seat belts are the best defense against impaired, aggressive, and distracted drivers.
- TWO: Air bags are designed to work with seat belts, not replace them. In fact, if you don’t wear your seat belt, you could be thrown into a rapidly opening frontal air bag; a movement of such force could injure or even kill you. Visit www.nhtsa.gov/airbags for more on air bag safety.
