IDOT, ISP enforcing seat belt for Memorial Day travel

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois State Police and more than 200 law enforcement agencies throughout the state are teaming up to remind the public to buckle up and drive sober over the Memorial Day weekend. The effort coincides with the national “Click It or Ticket” campaign running through May 26. ​

“Wearing a seat belt should be second nature for every driver and every passenger,” said Stephane B. Seck-Birhame, IDOT’s bureau chief of Safety Programs and Engineering. “If you choose to not buckle up, the result could be a ticket, or worse, you lose your life in a crash.” ​

According to IDOT data, 252 people not properly restrained were killed in crashes in 2024. While Illinois has a achieved a seat belt usage rate of 93%, the remaining 7% continue to put themselves at unnecessary risk.

The “Click It or Ticket” campaign comes in advance of the “100 deadliest days of summer,” which historically marks an increase in fatalities between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The increase in traffic and behaviors associated with crashes that come during summer holiday weekends almost always correlate with an increase in fatalities. Last year’s Memorial Day weekend – from 6 p.m. Friday, May 23, to 11:59 p.m. Monday, May 26 – saw 10 crashes resulting in 11 deaths in Illinois.

“Seat belts save lives. Anyone who says differently has not seen the thousands of crashes that ISP troopers see every year,” said ISP Division of Patrol Col. Chris Owen. “No matter where you are in the vehicle or how short the distance, buckle up, every time.”

Proper use of seat belts

Buckle up the right way:

• Position the shoulder belt across the middle of your chest and away from your neck. ​
• Place the lap belt low across your hips – not your stomach. ​
• Never place the seat belt behind your back or under your arm.

HLNF Staff Report

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