6-State Border to Border Seat Belt Initiative Kick

KANSAS CITY, Mo., May 18, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and law enforcement officials from the states of Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Arkansas and Oklahoma announce a tough seat belt enforcement initiative as kickoff to Click It or Ticket. Border-to-Border (B2B) is a 1-day national seat belt awareness program. On May 21 from 4-8 p.m. participating law enforcement agencies from Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Arkansas and Oklahoma will provide increased seat belt enforcement of State borders, sending a zero-tolerance message to the public. The B2B program aims to increase seat belt usage by coordinating highly visible enforcement and providing educational materials at heavily traveled State borders in the six-State area. The May 21 ^st B2B event will kick off the Click It or Ticket enforcement effort, which runs through June 3 and covers the busy Memorial Day holiday weekend.

Recently, officials from the Highway Patrols and State Highway Safety Offices in the six States gathered to announce their intention to participate in the effort. From Arkansas, Colonel Bill Bryant of the Arkansas State Police voiced his support. Also speaking: Susan DeCourcy, Regional Administrator NHTSA, Region 7. 

“Past Border to Border initiatives have shown how helpful it can be to our overall goal of spreading the message about the importance of buckling up,” said Susan DeCourcy, Regional Administrator NHTSA Region 7. “We are working across State lines to do all we can to keep our drivers and passengers safe. Wearing a seat belt is the number one thing anyone can do to help prevent death or injury during a vehicle crash,” she said.

The B2B program is also a successful study in collaboration between local law enforcement offices: During the 2017 B2B program, participating law enforcement offices issued citations for 5,695 seat belt and child car seat violations, as well as 14,619 citations for other traffic infractions. This, in turn, reminded drivers to drive safer.

“The main goal of law enforcement officers during the CIOT and B2B campaign isn’t to write citations, it’s to save lives and reduce injuries in crashes, but we do know that the possibility of a ticket can serve as strong motivation to modify behavior,” said Ms. DeCourcy. “The B2B program gives law enforcement across the country a chance to be on the roads at the beginning of the Click it or Ticket campaign issuing tickets for those driving or riding unbuckled.”

According to NHTSA, nearly half (48%) of the passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in 2016 were unrestrained. At night from 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., that number soared to 56 percent of those killed. That’s why one focus of this year’s B2B and Click It or Ticket campaigns is nighttime enforcement.

Seat belts save lives. Buckle up—every trip, every time.

CONTACT: Ginny Vineyard ginnyvineyard@gmail.com  

A video accompanying this announcement is available at  http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/Attachm...724fdacdd4