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More Memorial Day patrols, so be careful out there

| May 20, 2021 1:00 AM

Law enforcement officers across Idaho are taking part in the nationwide "Click It or Ticket" campaign that started Monday and runs through May 30.

During the effort, additional officers will be on the roads enforcing Idaho’s seat belt law.

“We know that seat belts save lives but still see too many people choose not to buckle up,” said ITD Highway Safety Manager John Tomlinson. “Hopefully this effort will help Idahoans make the right choice — especially as we head into the busy summer months.”

Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start to summer and the beginning of the "100 Deadliest Days" between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, when there is an increase in crashes.

In 2020, despite there being fewer vehicles on the road due to the coronavirus, 35 people who died in Idaho car crashes during the summer months were not wearing seat belts, an ITD press release.

“Buckling up is the simplest thing you can do to limit injury or save your life during a crash,” Tomlinson said. “When you use a seat belt you are increasing your odds of surviving a crash by 50 percent. It is so easy to do and we know it works.”

While officers will be issuing citations for failing to wear seat belts, Tomlinson says this isn’t about getting people in trouble; it’s about getting them home safely.

“Seat belts are a wonderful way to take care of ourselves and the people we care about,” Tomlinson said. “Buckle up — every trip, every time.”