Click it or Ticket campaign is on

WILLMAR - Nearly 400 Minnesota law enforcement agencies are adding patrol time during the Click it or Ticket campaign through June 1 to combat unnecessary deaths and injuries resulting from unbelted drivers or passengers in motor vehicle accidents.
In the last five years, 587 people were killed and 9,739 were injured on Minnesota roads because they were not wearing seat belts.
“There are far too many preventable deaths and life-altering injuries occurring on our roads,” Donna Berger, the director for the Office of Traffic Safety, said in news release. “Buckle up - it’s the law and it’s your best defense in case of a crash.”
In the last five years, 41.3 percent of occupants killed in a motor vehicle crash were not wearing seat belts. In 2013 alone, 94 people died and over 1,000 were injured because of being improperly restrained in a motor vehicle.
The seat belt law in Minnesota is a primary offense, meaning officers can stop vehicles for improperly restrained drivers and passengers; seat belt citations can range from $25 to over $100.
In addition, children younger than 13 should always ride in the back seat. Statistics from 2009 to 2013 showed that eight children under age 8 were killed and 1,105 more were injured because of being improperly restrained. Federal safety standards state that unless a child is taller than 4 feet 9 inches, or older than 8 years old they must ride in a booster seat based on their height. Once one of these requirements is met the child is no longer required to ride in a booster seat.