In preparation for Memorial Day weekend, the state Department of Transportation is spending $300,000 on its “Click It or Ticket” seatbelt campaign. The enforcement campaign comes as Connecticut’s seatbelt usage has dropped below the national average.
Joseph Cristalli, DOT’s transportation principal safety program coordinator, said an estimated $300,000 of federal funds are being dedicated to state and local law enforcement. Cristalli said the campaign is more about education than enforcement. Last year, 72 people in Connecticut killed in accidents were not wearing seatbelts.
The state’s observed seat belt rate was previously at a high of 88 percent, but has been slowly dropping the past few years, according to the DOT. The current rate is 85.4 percent, while the national average is 88 percent. Cristalli said data shows that males 18-34 are the most vulnerable group not wearing seat belts.
Focus groups show this collection of drivers do not wear seat belts on short local trips, that they believe they are good drivers, or they feel safe in their pickup trucks.
