Click It Or Ticket Campaign To Run Through Memorial Day Weekend

by Staff Report

WETHERSFIELD, CT — The national Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement campaign is underway in Connecticut, running through May 31. The campaign is a joint effort of the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT), the Connecticut State Police and local law enforcement agencies.

During the campaign, law enforcement officers across Connecticut will be out in full force, issuing citations to drivers and passengers who fail to buckle up, according to the DOT. The campaign aims to reinforce the importance of seat belt use and reduce preventable injuries and fatalities on Connecticut roadways.

In 2024, the last year of verifiable data, there were 9,758 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in the United States. In Connecticut that same year, preliminary data shows that 57 people lost their lives on Connecticut roadways while not wearing seat belts.

Connecticut continues to outperform the national average in seat belt use, with a rate of 95% in 2024 compared to 91.2% nationwide. 

Connecticut law requires all drivers and passengers, in both front and back seats, to wear seat belts. Fines begin at a minimum of $92 for a first offense.

“Seat belts save lives and wearing one remains the single most effective way to reduce the risk of serious injury or death in a crash,” said Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto. “As traffic increases heading into the summer months, we’re reminding everyone that buckling up should be automatic, every trip, every time.”

Colonel Daniel Loughman, commanding officer of the state police, said safety was always the department’s top priority.

“As travel lanes become more crowded during the busy summer months, this is the best time to remind drivers and passengers to buckle up for safety,” he said. “Please, take care of yourself and your passengers by buckling up.”

Watertown Police Chief Josh Bernegger, chairman of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association’s Traffic Safety Committee said not wearing a seat belt doesn’t just put people at risk, it can lead to a $92 fine.

“Connecticut’s seat belt law exists to save lives and reduce the severity of injuries in crashes,” he said. “Buckle up every time, in every seat.”

For more information, visit nhtsa.gov/campaign/click-it-or-ticket.