Full Notification

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                                             May, 21, 2018
 
Click It or Ticket Campaign Starts May 21
 
Fremont law enforcement will show zero tolerance
 
As the unofficial start of summer, the Memorial Day holiday weekend is a busy time for Californians. Each year, the highways fill with families in vehicles, on their way to start their summer vacations. To help keep drivers and passengers safe, the Fremont Police Department is reminding motorists to Click It or Ticket. The national seat belt campaign will take place May 21 through June 3, concurrent with the busy travel season.
 
The Fremont Police Department’s Traffic Unit will deploy additional officers during the two-week campaign on special traffic patrols specifically to stop and ticket both drivers and passengers for failing to use the vehicle’s safety belt restraints.  This will also include drivers who fail to secure children in the proper child restraint seats.
 
The loss and sadness to families and communities from severe traffic collisions are tragic and far reaching,” said Fremont Police Chief Richard Lucero.  “One valid step all of us can take in limiting the harm is our consistent use of seat belts whether for ourselves or those around us.  For these critical reasons, we are committed to the Click it or ticket campaign and glad to be part of such a valuable program.” 
 
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly half (48%) of the passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in 2016 were unrestrained. At night from 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., that number soared to 56 percent of those killed. That’s why one focus of the Click It or Ticket campaign is nighttime enforcement. Police, Sheriff and the CHP will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement, writing citations day and night. In California, the minimum penalty for a seat belt violation is $162.
 
“This Memorial Day period and, in fact, every day, we want everyone in every vehicle to remember that buckling up could be their greatest defense in a crash,” said Rhonda Craft, Director of the California Office of Traffic Safety. “Putting on a seat belt is one of the quickest, simplest and most effective ways to ensure you and your loved ones remain safe and sound on the road.”
 
In 2016, one community member was killed because they did not buckle their seat belts. Across Alameda County, nine died unrestrained as either a driver or passenger. Statewide, 426 individuals were found to be unrestrained at the time of the collision.  It is estimated that 74 would have survived had they simply buckled up. 
 
This enforcement effort is funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and remember - Report Drunk Drivers - call 911.
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