HALL COUNTY, Ga. — The Hall County Sheriff’s Office has joined the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety for the national “Click It or Ticket” seat belt enforcement campaign.
This initiative, running from May 18 through May 31, is designed to save lives on Georgia roads by enforcing seat belt and child passenger safety laws, including over the Memorial Day Holiday travel weekend.
Georgia law mandates that front-seat passengers in all vehicles wear a seat belt. Additionally, children aged 8 to 17 are required to wear a seat belt in both the front and back seats, while children aged 7 and younger must be secured in a manufacturer-recommended child safety seat based on their height and weight. These enforcement efforts address a significant safety concern on the state’s roadways.
Federal crash data from 2020-2024 revealed that 51% of passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in Georgia were not wearing seat belts. This figure rose to 53% for fatalities in rural areas of the state during the same five-year period.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data shows that wearing a seat belt in the front seat of a passenger car can reduce the risk of fatal injury by 45%. For occupants of light trucks, seat belt use reduces this risk by 60%.
Hall County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Sergeant Jeremy Cooksey emphasized the daily impact of seat belt use.
“Law enforcement officers see the difference wearing a seat belt makes on a daily basis, which is why we will continue to use education and enforcement to promote seat belt use,” Cooksey said. “Taking a few seconds to click your seat belt before every trip could lead to a lifetime of memories, so please make the right choice by always wearing your seat belt.”
Allen Poole, director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, highlighted the integral role of seat belts in vehicle safety.
“The safety features in our vehicles are designed to be most effective when everyone in the vehicle is wearing a seat belt and small children are riding in a properly installed safety seat,” Poole said.
The “Click It or Ticket” campaign coincides with the start of the “100 Days of Summer HEAT” mobilization, which also began on May 18 and will continue through Labor Day Weekend. Both campaigns underscore the importance of safe driving practices during periods of increased travel.
To enhance road safety, the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety and the Hall County Sheriff’s Office offer several tips. These include driving at safe speeds, buckling up before starting a vehicle, avoiding distractions like phones and conversations, programming navigation devices before driving and never driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
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