WILMINGTON — Through June 1, the state highway patrol and other law enforcement will be closely monitoring seat belt usage.
Motorists should buckle up or face a $180 fine — $260 for this under 16. The ‘Click It or Ticket’ Memorial Day campaign kicks off Monday, May 19, with a focus on the North Carolina seat belt law.
“Never hesitate to buckle your seat belt — it could be the difference between life and death,” Mark Ezzell, director of the Governor’s Highway Safety Program, said in a release. “It’s too risky to take that chance.”
According to state statistics, roughly 500 people died in 2023 crashes, due to seat belts not being fastened. This year almost 160 deaths due to being not buckled in have been reported.
North Carolina’s Click It or Ticket campaign was the first in the nation, used today as the model by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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