Wear a seat belt

The Linden Police Department is joining forces with the Texas Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement agencies throughout Texas to increase seat belt use in anticipation of Memorial Day related travel.

Stepped-up enforcement of the state’s seat belt laws between May 24 – June 6 is a key component of the Texas Department of Transportation’s annual Click It or Ticket seat belt safety campaign. Officials at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report that wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of dying by 45 percent for people in the front seat of passenger cars. For those in pickups, seat belts reduce the risk of dying by 60 percent since pickups are more likely to roll over than passenger vehicles.

“While many drivers and passengers have made a habit of buckling up, we still see an alarming number of nighttime motorists, truck drivers and passengers who are lagging behind the rest of the state in seat belt use, we have also noticed a disturbing number of children that are not secured into their child safety seat along with children not being in a child safety seat at all. Said Eric Lee, Chief of Police. “That’s unfortunate, because the few seconds it takes to fasten your seat belt or strap a child into their seat can mean the difference between life and death in a crash. We never enjoy giving tickets, but if doing so gets someone to buckle up and that saves their life, then it’s worth it.”

According to recent TxDOT crash data, 925 people who weren’t wearing seat belts were killed last year in crashes on Texas roads. Nighttime is a particularly deadly time. In 2019, there were more than 2,000 fatalities and more than 7,500 serious injuries between 6 p.m. and 5:59 a.m.

State law requires everyone in a vehicle to buckle up or face fines and court costs of up to $200. Children younger than 8 years must be in a child safety seat or booster seat unless they’re taller than 4 feet 9 inches. If they aren’t properly restrained, the driver faces fines up to $250 plus court costs.

To learn more about Click It or Ticket, visit texasclickitorticket.com.

For media inquiries, contact Jennifer Prosperie or Eric Lee at lindentxpolice@protonmail.com or (903) 756-5544.