CLICK IT OR TICKET IN ILLINOIS THIS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND
IDOT's Division of Traffic Safety proudly reports that Illinois has a 90.1% daytime seat belt usage rate, making Illinois one of only ten states in the country with more than 90% daytime seatbelt usage. But according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), seat belt use goes down by roughly 10% at night. In 2006, 54% of all fatal crashes in Illinois occurred between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. Nationally, over two-thirds of young drivers and passengers killed in nighttime crashes weren't wearing their seatbelts.
In response to these statistics, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and Illinois State Police (ISP) are teaming up with more than 300 local police agencies to mount the largest ever nighttime safety belt enforcement effort in Illinois. During the holiday weekend, drivers will notice more enforcement out on the roadways checking to make sure every driver is buckled up. During the Memorial Day “Click it or Ticket” mobilization, motorists can expect more than 3,600 safety belt enforcement zones statewide, with almost 700 enforcement zones planned for after dark, the time when surveys show more drivers fail to buckle up.
The NHTSA reports that seat belts saved more than 15,000 lives in 2007. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood calls the seat belt "the single most effective safety device ever invented." And he's right. Every hour, at least one person dies in the United States because he or she didn't buckle up. Failure to use a seat belt contributes to more fatalities than any other single traffic safety-related behavior. And if these statistics aren't enough to convince you to click it, just remember that if you don't, you face the possibility of a hefty fine.
The attorneys at the Law Offices of Jeffrey J. Kroll are experienced in handling car accident-related injury and death cases. Please contact a Chicago car crash attorney to help you receive maximum compensation for your injuries.
