On Monday, November 16, the Sandersville Police Department will be teaming up with law enforcement agencies nationwide for a Border to Border (B2B) law enforcement event to kick off the annual Click It or Ticket seat belt campaign, which runs through Sunday, November 29. The United States Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is asking all states to participate in B2B, a 1-day national seat belt awareness event coordinated by participating state highway safety offices and their respective law enforcement liaisons. The B2B initiative aims to increase law enforcement participation by coordinating highly visible seat belt enforcement and providing seat belt fact sheets for drivers at heavily traveled, highly visible state border checkpoints.
“The Border to Border component of the Click It or Ticket campaign is so important because it raises awareness about seat belt safety and reminds people that seat belts aren’t optional,” said Captain Kelly Collins of the Sandersville Police Department. “The Thanksgiving holiday is one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. Families will be heading out to spend time with their loved ones so it’s imperative that we get the word out concerning the importance of seat belts.”
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 23,744 occupants were killed in crashes in 2019, which is a 2.4% decrease from 2018. In Georgia, there were 1,491 traffic fatalities in 2019, which was a .09% decrease from 2018. Participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuse approach to seat belt law enforcement, writing citations day and night. The maximum penalty for seat belt violations in the state of Georgia are for children under 8 years of age. The first conviction will cost a fee of up to $50. A second and subsequent conviction will cost up to $100. Points will also be assessed against the driver’s license of a violator. A first conviction will count for one point, while a second and subsequent conviction will cost two points. For individuals age 8 through age 17, a $25 fine is assessed. If an individual is over 18 years of age, a conviction costs $15.
“If the enforcement campaign wakes people up to the dangers of unrestrained driving, we’ll consider our mission to be a success,” said Captain Collins. “If you know a friend or a family member who does not buckle up when they drive, please ask them to consider changing their habits. Help us spread this lifesaving message before one more friend or family member is killed as a result of this senseless inaction. Seat belts save lives, and everyone – front seat and back, child and adult – needs to remember to buckle up – every trip, every time.”