Morehead Police Department to participate in ‘Click It or Ticket’ enforcement campaign

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2024
CONTACT: JENNY FRAZIER, 606.610.8991, JFRAZIER@CITYOFMOREHEAD.NET

Morehead Police Department to participate in ‘Click It or Ticket’ enforcement campaign
Motorists reminded to buckle up, enforcement heightened May 20 – June 2

[Morehead, KY] – As we approach the Memorial Day holiday, Morehead Police Department is joining
the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety in reminding motorists to Click It or Ticket. The annual campaign
is part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) high-visibility enforcement effort
that runs from May 20 through June 2.

“We see firsthand severe injuries or loss of life when adults do not wear a seat belt or children are not
properly restrained in a child seat or booster,” said Patrolman Blake Carver. “We hope that buckling up
becomes the automatic first step for everyone when entering a vehicle.”
The campaign helps increase seat belt enforcement with traffic safety checkpoints and saturation
patrols.

According to the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety, of the 813 roadway deaths last year in Kentucky,
550 were occupants of motor vehicles. Of those killed in motor vehicle crashes, 280 were either not
wearing a seat belt or were not properly restrained in a car seat or booster seat. Eight of the 550 were
children aged 9 and under. One of the nine was improperly restrained.

“Please help us spread this life-saving message,” said Patrol Blake Carver. “The two seconds it takes to
buckle up is the simplest thing you can do to prevent injury or death in a crash, especially at night.”
According to NHTSA, despite the low traffic volume, fatal crashes are three times higher nationwide at
nighttime versus daytime. In Kentucky last year, of the 550 occupants killed in motor vehicle crashes,
211 occurred at night. Of those, 124 were unrestrained.

“If the enforcement crackdown increases awareness of the dangers of driving or riding unrestrained,
we’ll consider it a success,” said Patrolman Blake Carver. “Seat belts, child seats and boosters save lives,
and everyone—front seat and back, child and adult —must buckle up, day and night.”

Also according to NHTSA, when worn correctly, seat belts reduce the risk of death by 45% for front-seat
passenger car occupants and by 60% for pickup truck, SUV and minivan occupants. Additionally, child
seats are 71% effective in reducing infant deaths, 54% effective in reducing toddler deaths and 67%
effective in reducing the need for hospitalization. For older children, the use of belt-positioning booster
seats lowers the risk of injury to children in crashes by 59% compared with the use of vehicle seat belts.

For additional information on seat belts, visit https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/seat-belts. For
additional information on child seats and boosters, visit https://www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/car-seatsand-booster-seats.