PITTSBURGH — The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s “Click It or Ticket” campaign started Monday and runs through Nov. 28.
It comes as the holiday travel season gets underway.
The department will ramp up its seatbelt enforcement through increased patrols and traffic enforcement zones.
PennDOT says wearing a seatbelt increases a driver’s chances of surviving a crash by up to 60%.
“Your seatbelt is your first defense in the event of a crash,” said PennDOT spokesperson Yasmeen Manyisha.
She said that last year, western Pennsylvania saw 2,748 crashes involving drivers without seatbelts. Those crashes led to 85 deaths.
“We have a pretty high seatbelt usage in Pennsylvania,” said Manyisha. “That’s about 89%, but we want to get it even better because, honestly, seatbelts save lives.”
As the roads fill up with holiday travelers, PennDOT reminds drivers to plan ahead before heading out.
“Make sure you leave early enough to give yourself plenty of time,” said Manyisha. “You may get stuck in traffic, so you want to make sure that you’re being patient and that you have everything you need in your vehicle.”
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