KSP Post 7 to Participate in National ‘Click it or Ticket’ Campaign
– Special to WEKY AM 1340 –
The Kentucky State Police, Richmond Post is reminding motorists to buckle up as law enforcement agencies throughout the state join the nationwide ‘Click It or Ticket’ seat belt enforcement mobilization through June 4th.
The campaign will include additional enforcement efforts over Memorial Day weekend, which historically is one of the highest travel periods of the year. Last year in Kentucky, 834 lives were lost on Kentucky roadways, with nine of them occurring during the holiday weekend.
According to NHTSA, motorists are 75 percent less likely to be killed in a rollover crash if they are buckled up. “If drivers would simply buckle up, it would dramatically reduce the number of traffic collision fatalities” said KSP Post 7 Operations Lieutenant Scott Felder. “Every life lost on a Kentucky roadway is someone’s son, daughter, mother, father, family member, or best friend. As a trooper, and as a parent, I can assure you there is nothing more difficult than going to the door of an unsuspecting parent and telling them their son or daughter has been killed in a crash. The last thing that we want are more families having to deal with the tragic loss of a loved one” Felder added.
NHTSA also estimates that seat belts, when worn correctly, reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants by 45 percent and the risk of moderate-to-critical injury by 50 percent. For pickup trucks, SUVs and van occupants, seat belts reduce the risk of fatal injury by 60 percent and moderate-to critical injury by 65 percent.
In addition to the increased enforcement of motor vehicle occupants that make the decision not to buckle up, KSP Troopers will also be looking for drivers that are speeding, driving distracted or driving under the influence.