The Campus Police Department at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) is among the participating agencies across the state that are strictly enforcing seat belt wearing as a part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) nationwide “Click It or Ticket” mobilization through June 6.
Participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement, writing citations both day and night to those who are not wearing seatbelts. UTHSC Campus Police will strictly enforce this within the Medical District.
“Buckling up is such a simple task that can keep you and your family safe in the car,” said UTHSC Campus Police Lieutenant Joanne Morrow. “It’s also the law and we often see the consequences of not doing so. We see the loss of life. Often, it could have been prevented with the simple click of a seat belt. This should be automatic.”
Tennessee’s Integrated Traffic Analysis Network noted that 403 people killed in state traffic crashes last year were not wearing a seat belt. This represents approximately 33 percent of the state’s total traffic fatalities in 2020.
According to NHTSA, in 2019, there were 9,466 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in the United States. That year, 55 percent of passenger vehicle occupants killed at night (6 p.m. – 5:59 a.m.) were not wearing seat belts.
For more information about seat belt safety, visit www.tntrafficsafety.org.