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Police step up holiday traffic enforcement; pledge zero tolerance for seat belt violations

May 15, 2018 – As summer kicks off with one of the busiest travel and holiday weekends of the year, the Oak Park Police Department is reminding motorists to Click It or Ticket as part of the national seat-belt enforcement campaign set for May 18 - 29.

Oak Park Police officers will be taking a no-excuses approach, writing citations day and night. Motorists caught not buckled up will be ticketed, and those caught driving impaired will be arrested. 

"Police officers often see firsthand the serious injury and loss of life that can happen when people refuse to buckle up,” said Oak Park Acting Police Chief LaDon Reynolds. “It’s such a simple and effective way to protect oneself while traveling. As the Memorial Day weekend approaches, we want to make sure people are doing everything they can to stay safe in the unfortunate event of a crash.”

Although Illinois boasts a 93.8 percent observed seat belt use rate, a disproportionate number of fatalities involve unbelted motorists and passengers. Of the 1,093 traffic deaths in 2017, more than half of those killed were not wearing seat belts, officials say.

Seat belt use drops even more in the evening and overnight hours. That’s why one focus of the Click It or Ticket campaign is nighttime enforcement.

“Please help us spread this life-saving message before one more friend or family member is killed as a result of this senseless inaction,” Reynolds said. “Seat belts save lives, and every vehicle occupant – front seat and back, child and adult – needs to remember to buckle up, every trip, every time. Together, we can help make zero fatalities a reality in Illinois.”

For more information on the Click It or Ticket mobilization, visit www.buckleupillinois.org.