The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Click it or Ticket campaign ended May 31, but enforcement of the seat belt laws in Burleson has not.

In 2008 in Burleson, police officers worked one accident and issued 19 citations for a child 5-16 years of age who was not wearing a seat belt. Six citations were issued for children who were younger than 5 years/less than 36-inches tall who were not wearing seat belts. Adult drivers received 18 citations and were involved in two accidents in which they were not wearing their safety belts. And, three adult passengers were cited (one accident) for not wearing a seat belt.

A safety belt violation can result in fines ranging from $25 to $200, plus court costs. Texas law requires that drivers and front seat passengers in all passenger vehicles be secured by a safety belt. Passengers can be ticketed for not wearing a seat belt. Children who are younger than 17 must be secured with a safety belt or in a child safety seat, both in the front seat and back seat. Children who are younger than 5 years old and shorter than 36 inches tall must ride in a child safety seat.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the U.S. Department of Transportation study released in May estimates that 1,652 lives could be saved and 22,372 serious injuries avoided each year on America’s roadways if seat belt use rates rose to 90 percent in every state. The new research report, based on 2007 data, also estimates that seat belts saved 15,147 lives that year.

The estimated national seat belt use rate – which stood at 83 percent in 2008 – is based on NHTSA’s National Occupant Protection Use Survey. One of five Americans still fails to buckle up regularly. Of the 4,540 16 to 20-year-old passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2007, 2,502 were unbelted at the time of the crash. Teen belt use rates are especially low at night. In 2007, nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of the 16 to 20-year-olds killed in nighttime crashes were not wearing a seat belt.

For more information about seat belt laws and enforcement, go to texasclickitorticket.com.