Madison County Sheriff's Office Issues 80 Citations During Seat Belt Campaign | News

The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration educated area residents about seat belt safety during the Click It or Ticket High Visibility Seat Belt Reinforcement Campaign, which Madison County Sheriff Todd Volk called it a local success.

The campaign ran from May 20 to June 2. Madison County sheriff's deputies wrote 80 citations for seat belt violations and speeding and arrested six people, Volk said.

The campaign, which coincided with the Memorial Day holiday, had two objectives: to combine increased monitoring and a zero-tolerance policy, with effective communication to road users about the importance of wearing seat belts.

“This year’s Make It Click campaign was a major success,” Volk said. “Through our enforcement efforts, we believe we have helped keep members of the community safe and reminded drivers of the importance of wearing their seat belts. Issuing tickets was not our goal, but it was a way to remind people of the importance of such a simple gesture.

The national seat belt wearing rate in 2023 was 91.9%. The Make It Click campaign focused on the remaining 8.1% who don't wear their seat belts. According to the Highway Safety Administration, more than half of passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in 2021 were unbelted.

“My deputies have further stepped up their public education efforts,” Volk said. “Madison County continues to help enforce important laws, including seat belts and distracted driving awareness. Madison County will continue to use these mobilizations to help all drivers learn to buckle up and drive safely.

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For more information about the Click It or Ticket campaign, visit NHTSA.gov/ClickIt.