Click it or get a $116 ticket

As highway travel picks up around Memorial Day weekend, the Sarasota Police Department is participating in the Click It or Ticket campaign to encourage and enforce seat belt use.

The campaign continues through June 4. In Sarasota, the maximum penalty for a seat belt violation is $116.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2021 11,813 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants were killed in crashes in the United States. That same year, 57% of passenger vehicle occupants killed between 6 p.m. and 5:59 a.m. were not wearing seat belts. That’s why the Click It or Ticket campaign focuses on nighttime enforcement.

In addition to seat belt use, the Sarasota Police Department offers these safety tips:

• Reduce your speed. More speeding-related fatalities happen during the summer months than at any other time of the year.
• Refrain from using cellphones or devices when driving.
• Designate a sober driver or take alternate transportation if you consume alcohol.
• Drive defensively and exercise caution, especially during bad weather.