The Winnfield Police Department has joined many agencies in enforcement activities for the National “Click it or Ticket” campaign for the Fiscal Year 2022. They are utilizing grant money awarded by the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission to pay officers to work overtime in seat belt enforcement details.
ON-GOING ENFORCEMENT WAVE
May 23 – June 8, 2022 (Click It or Ticket It)
Louisiana law states that all drivers and passengers, regardless of which seat they occupy in a vehicle, must wear a seat belt or be properly restrained in a child safety seat that is properly installed. The fine for not being properly restrained is $50. Fines for improper child safety are $242.50.
Besides being the law in Louisiana, wearing your seat belt is the single most important thing a driver or passenger can do to protect themselves in the event of a crash. The LHSC supports national programs such as “Click It or Ticket” that raise awareness of the need for proper restraint usage.
In 2019, observational surveys showed that 87.5 percent of all Louisiana drivers and passengers were wearing their seat belts. Winn Parish surveys show that 89% of drivers wear seat belts. While this record usage rate is good news for Louisiana, there is much work to be done in moving toward 100 percent compliance.
Of the 23,824 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2020, 51% were not wearing seat belts — a 4% increase from 2019.
58%OF THOSE KILLED DURING THE NIGHTTIME IN 2020 WERE UNRESTRAINED
The Top 5 Things You Should Know About Buckling Up
1. Buckling up is the single most effective thing you can do to protect yourself in a crash
Seat belts are the best defense against impaired, aggressive, and distracted drivers. Being buckled up during a crash helps keep you safe and secure inside your vehicle; being completely ejected from a vehicle is almost always deadly.
2. Air bags are designed to work with seat belts, not replace them
If you don’t wear your seat belt, you could be thrown into a rapidly opening frontal air bag. Such force could injure or even kill you.
3. Guidelines to buckle up safely
- The lap belt and shoulder belt are secured across the pelvis and rib cage, which are better able to withstand crash forces than other parts of your body.
- Place the shoulder belt across the middle of your chest and away from your neck.
- The lap belt rests across your hips, not your stomach.
- NEVER put the shoulder belt behind your back or under an arm.
4. Fit matters
- Before you buy a new car, check to see that its seat belts are a good fit for you.
- Ask your dealer about seat belt adjusters, which can help you get the best fit.
- If you need a roomier belt, contact your vehicle manufacturer to obtain seat belt extenders.
- If you drive an older or classic car with lap belts only, check with your vehicle manufacturer about how to retrofit your car with today’s safer lap/shoulder belts.
5. Seat belt safety for children and pregnant women
According to a department spokesman, they are targeting the 11% who do not use seat belts. Understand the potentially fatal consequences of not wearing a seat belt and learn what you can do to make sure you and your family are properly buckled up every time.
