Arizona, Buckle-Up: It's The Law And Police Are Watching

With the holiday weekend fast approaching, it means that more people are going to be on the road. And police officers across the state are going to be paying extra attention to whether or not those people are wearing seat belts.

One, it's a good idea, they say. And, two - it's the law.

As part of a the national "Click It or Ticket" seat belt enforcement campaign, law enforcement agencies across the state will be stepping up traffic enforcement patrols and increasing other enforcement efforts to drive home the message: Buckle up. It's the law.

These agencies plan to have extra enforcement over the next two weeks - from May 22 through June 4.

The state's Office of Highway Safety says that regular seat belt use is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes.

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When worn correctly, seat belts have proven to reduce serious crash-related injuries and deaths by about 50%. The proper and consistent use of child safety seats has been found to reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71% for infants (younger than 1 year old) and by 54% for toddlers (1 to 4 years old) in passenger cars.

Properly installed booster seats reduce the risk for serious injury by 45% among children ages 4 to 8 years old.

A teen fastening a seat belt, by State Farm, via Flickr, under Creative Commons license