'Click It or Ticket' blitz coming to WV for the holidays

Click It or Ticket! Law enforcement agencies across West Virginia will begin the first of four seat belt enforcement blitzes this November 15 through December 1.  

Seat belt use reached an all-time high of 89 percent three years ago according to a news release from the Governor's Highway Safety Program. But there has been a slow decline to 82 percent during the last statewide survey. As a result, the WV Highway Safety Office and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are funding increased campaigns. The goal is 92 percent safety belt use by June 2014.

Not wearing a seat belt is now a primary offense in West Virginia. Officers are able to stop a driver and issue a citation simply for not wearing their safety belt. Most law enforcement agencies will be conducting their patrols during evening and early morning hours. "Every year, statistics prove that you are far more likely to survive a crash is you are wearing your seat belt and remain properly positioned in your vehicle's passenger compartment. Ejections prove fatal more often than not," said Larry Kendall, Director of Region 2 Office of Highway Safety.

During the campaign, officers will also be watching for drivers who are texting and talking on their cell phones without the use of a hands-free system.