Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations
Watch Live

Public Safety

Click It Or Ticket Seatbelt Safety Campaign Begins Memorial Day

San Diego law enforcement will participate in the statewide crackdown on seatbelt scofflaws called Click It or Ticket starting Monday, which is Memorial Day.

Failure to buckle up comes with hefty fines this year, and sheriff's Sgt. Peggy Frailey at the Lemon Grove station said warnings will not be issued during the Click It or Ticket campaign.

Frailey said fines for first-time adult violators have risen from $132 to $142 this year, and the fine for not securing children under 16 in a car seat or seat belt is $445.

Advertisement

"We will be looking for motorists throughout the area who are not buckling up, day and night," Sheriff William Gore said. "It's not just about avoiding a ticket, it's about keeping the ones you care about alive."

Frailey said more than 150 local law enforcement agencies and the California Highway Patrol will take part in next week's seatbelt enforcement focus.

Drivers and passengers who buckle up have a 50 percent better chance of surviving a crash than those who are unbelted, she said.

KPBS has created a public safety coverage policy to guide decisions on what stories we prioritize, as well as whose narratives we need to include to tell complete stories that best serve our audiences. This policy was shaped through months of training with the Poynter Institute and feedback from the community. You can read the full policy here.