Buckle Up: Lexington Police to Beef Up Seat Belt Enforcement

LEXINGTON, MA – The Lexington Police Department will participate in the national Click It or Ticket campaign starting today, the department announced Sunday. This means beefed up enforcement in order to promote seat belt use.

The initiative is organized through the Massachusetts Highway Safety Division and will run from May 8-29.

In Massachusetts, seat belt usage is 78 percent compared to the national average of 90 percent, according to a press release. Of the 172 people killed in car crashes in Massachusetts in 2015, 64 percent were not wearing seat belts, according to the state's annual seat belt observation study.

Seat belts saved an estimated 72 lives in Massachusetts in 2015, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and an additional 41 deaths could have been prevented if seatbelt usage was at 100 percent.

"More people buckling up means more lives saved," Lt. Kevin Veno said in a statement. "Our officers will be out enforcing the seat belt and child passenger safety laws so that fewer people are needlessly injured or killed in crashes in Lexington."

Lexington is one of about 200 local departments participating in the campaign, in addition to the Massachusetts State Police.

If you have any questions please contact Lt. Kevin Veno at 781-862-1212.

PHOTO courtesy of CDC