2021 CLICK IT OR TICKET CAMPAIGN                                                                      

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: [6-14-2021]

Sheriff Todd Volk

Successful National Click It or Ticket Effort:

 Madison County Sheriff Department law enforcement wrote 2 seat belt citations

Madison County Sheriff Department in Madison, Nebraska raised awareness about seat belt safety to area residents during its annual Click It or Ticket high-visibility seat belt enforcement campaign, held May 24 through June 6. Law enforcement officers wrote a total of 2 citations for seat belt violations in the process. “I am not surprised that the seatbelt numbers are low in this area”. “We have noticed increasing use of seatbelts in our area,” said Sheriff Volk. The campaign, which coincided with the Memorial Day holiday, was twofold: to combine increased enforcement and a zero-tolerance policy, with effective communication to road users on the importance of seat belt use. On May 24, the campaign commenced with Border to Border, a one-day, 4-hour national seat belt awareness event coordinated by participating state highway safety offices and their respective law enforcement liaisons.

“This year’s Click It or Ticket campaign was a real success,” said Sheriff Volk. “Through our enforcement efforts, we believe we helped keep community members safe and reminded drivers of the importance of buckling up. Issuing tickets was not our goal, but it was a way to remind people of the importance of such a simple action.” Madison County had a total of 62 stops with 27 citations during this grant. They also made two arrests during the grant. 

During this year’s campaign, NHTSA urged law enforcement nationwide to issue seat belt citations to anyone caught in violation of the law — during the day, and especially at night, when 55% of those killed are unrestrained. By adding patrols at night, and training officers on specific techniques to catch nighttime violators, the campaign — and the nighttime focus — was a “major success,” according to Sheriff Volk.

According to the 2020 Nebraska Seat Belt Use Survey report, Nebraska’s overall seat belt use rate for 2020 was 80.6%. The Click It or Ticket campaign is focusing on the remaining 19.4% who still don’t buckle up. Thousands of lives could be saved each year if every person was properly restrained on the road.

For more information on the Click It or Ticket mobilization, please visit www.dot.nebraska.gov/safety/hso/.        

2021 CLICK IT OR TICKET CAMPAIGN                                                                      

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: [5-12-2021]

CONTACT: [Sheriff Todd Volk]

Click It or Ticket Campaign Reminds Drivers:

Buckle Up May 24 – June 6, and Every Day

[Madison County, Nebraska] — [Madison County Sheriff Department] is reminding drivers about the lifesaving benefits of wearing a seat belt this spring, during the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) national Click It or Ticket high-visibility enforcement effort. The national seat belt campaign, which coincides with the Memorial Day holiday, runs from May 24 to June 6, 2021.

“We want the act of buckling up to become automatic to all drivers and passengers,” said Sheriff Todd Volk. “It’s not just a safe thing to do – it’s the law. During the Click It or Ticket campaign, we’ll be working with our fellow law enforcement officers across local and state lines to ensure the message gets out to drivers and passengers. In Nebraska, we know that 3 out of 10 occupants do not buckle up each and every trip. Buckling up is the simplest thing you can do to limit injury or save your life during a crash. We see the results of not wearing a seat belt all the time. We see the loss of life. So often, it could have been prevented.”

“Madison County Sheriff Department is excited to participate once again in Click it or ticket it,” said Sheriff Todd Volk.  “This grant is extremely important for educating the public and I am very impressed with the citizens of Madison County this year”. “A pre survey has been done on 100 vehicles and only 4 vehicles and occupants out of 100 weren’t wearing seatbelts”.

According to the NDOT Highway Safety Office, in 2020, there were 132 (78%) unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in Nebraska. In comparison with other states, Nebraska has the 4^th worst observed seat belt usage in the United States. Participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement, writing citations day and night. In Nebraska, the maximum penalty for a seat belt violation is $25.00.

“If the enforcement effort wakes people up to the dangers of unrestrained driving, we’ll consider our mission to be a success,” said Sheriff Volk. “If you know a friend or a family member who does not buckle up when they drive, please ask them to consider changing their habits. Help us spread this lifesaving message before one more friend or family member is killed as a result of this senseless inaction. Seat belts save lives, and everyone — front seat and back, child and adult — needs to remember to buckle up.”

For more information on the Click It or Ticket mobilization, please visit https://dot.nebraska.gov/safety/hso/.     

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