Citation alert: “Click It or Ticket” coming to Orange County

Seat belt enforcement effort aims to raise awareness to “Buckle Up” and save lives

From the Orange County Sheriff's Office

From May 22nd to June 4th, local law enforcement will participate in the NHTSA National “Click It or Ticket” motorist protection safety campaign, in an effort to save lives through increased seat belt use. This enforcement period comes ahead of the Memorial Day holiday, expected to be one of the busiest travel weekends in years.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office embraces this effort to raise public awareness to “buckle up.” The OCSO Motor Unit will be conducting seat belt enforcement details at various locations throughout Orange County. The goal is to identify motorists not wearing safety belts. In addition, tickets will be issued for improperly restrained children to reduce injuries and fatalities from traffic crashes within Orange County.

OCSO Kicks off Enforcement Effort Monday Night

Who: OCSO Motor Unit Click it or Ticket Safety Belt Enforcement

Where: South Orange Blossom Trail / Holden Ave.

When: MONDAY NIGHT May 22nd from 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Thanks to a combination of the enforcement of seat belt laws and public awareness campaigns, Florida’s seat belt use reached a record high of 89.6 percent in July 2016, up from about 60.1 percent in 2000. While it is progress, it also means that every day, millions of people needlessly put their lives at risk because they don’t buckle up. (Source: FDOT.gov)

“Hundreds of thousands of citizens will be traveling this Memorial Day weekend,” said OCSO Motor Unit Master Deputy Greg Rittger. “As law enforcement, we have a special role in helping protect the safety of our citizens. We want to make sure that motorists ‘buckle up’ to keep everyone safe.”

Media is encouraged to promote the “Click it or Ticket” safety message by attending this event. Enforcement will be conducted most days throughout the two-week campaign. Not wearing a seat belt in Orange County is a $114.00 fine. Failing to properly restrain children ages five and under is a $164.00 fine (3 points). For more information on the Click It or Ticket campaign, please visit www.nhtsa.gov/ciot.