Rhode Island Police Agencies Participating in National Click It Or Ticket Mobilization

RHODE ISLAND — The Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association on Wednesday announced law enforcement agencies across the state are participating in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) national Click It or Ticket high-visibility enforcement effort.

The national seat belt campaign, which coincides with Memorial Day, started Monday and runs until June 4. Participating police departments across the state will take a no-excuses approach to seat belt enforcement. The maximum penalty for a seat belt violation in Rhode Island is $40.

According to the NHTSA, 11,813 unbuckled passengers and drivers were killed in crashes in the U.S. in 2021. Locally, in 2022, 55 percent of the 31 occupants killed in a vehicle in Rhode Island were not wearing a seat belt. As of Wednesday, in 2023, 67 percent of the 21 occupants who died in a motor vehicle were not wearing a seat belt.

Buckling up is the most effective thing people can do to protect themselves in a crash, according to the NHTSA.

Properly wearing a seat belt helps keep people safe and secure inside a car, while not wearing a seat belt can result in getting ejected from the vehicle in a crash, which is almost always deadly.

Research shows that buckling up in the front seat of a passenger car can reduce your risk of fatal injury by 45 percent and moderate or critical injury by 50 percent. In a light truck, buckling up can reduce your risk of fatal injury by 60 percent and moderate or critical injury by 65 percent.

Police in Rhode Island will also be working to educate drivers on the importance of seat belts to prevent serious injuries and fatalities on roadways statewide.

To be worn properly:

• The lap belt and shoulder belt should be secured across the pelvis and rib cage, which are better able to withstand crash forces than other parts of the body
• The shoulder belt should be placed across the middle of the chest and away from the neck
• The lap belt should rest across the hips, not the stomach
• The shoulder belt should never be put behind the back or under an arm.

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