Glasgow police to heighten enforcement of seat belts

GLASGOW, Ky. – Starting May 23, Glasgow Police Department is participating in Click It or Ticket.

The annual campaign reminds drivers to buckle up as law enforcement efforts heighten from May 23 through June 5.

“The Glasgow Police Department worked over 800 accidents last year and seen firsthand severe injuries or loss of life when adults do not wear a seat belt or children are not properly restrained in a child seat or booster,” said Major Terry Flatt. “Our hope is that buckling up becomes the automatic first step for everyone when entering a vehicle and it takes less than two seconds.”

According to the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety, 609 of the 806 road deaths last year in Kentucky were in vehicles. Of the people killed in motor vehicle accidents, 333 were either not wearing a seat belt or were not restrained properly in a car seat or booster seat.

“The two-seconds it takes to buckle up is the simplest thing you can do to prevent injury or death in a crash, especially at night,” said Flatt.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, despite low traffic, fatal crashes are three times higher in the nation at night compared to day. Last year, 302 of the 609 people killed in car crashes in Kentucky were accidents that occurred at night. 111 of these people were not wearing a seat belt.

Also according to NHTSA, when worn correctly, seat belts reduce the risk of dying by 45 percent for people sitting in the front-seat of a vehicle and by 60 percent for pickup truck, SUV and minivan occupants.