Alachua County Sheriff Click It or Ticket" during Thanksgiving holiday

With the holidays upon us and millions of Americans hitting the roads, Alachua County Sheriff Sadie Darnell wants everyone to arrive safely at their destinations.  So, drivers and passengers be on the lookout, Alachua County Deputies will be out in force sending the strong message “Click It or Ticket.”

While seatbelt use is at a record high of 85 percent nationwide, 45 million Americans still fail to buckle up when they get in a motor vehicle.  According to statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), on any given day about 38 passenger vehicle occupants who are not buckled up are killed in motor vehicle crashes.

Regular seat belt use is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes, according to NHTSA.  Research has shown that when lap and shoulder belts are used properly, the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants is reduced by 45 percent and the risk of moderate to serious injury is reduced by 50 percent.