In recognition of the 22nd anniversary of the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) "Click it or Ticket" campaign, Midland City Councilmember Jack Ladd, Interim Chief of Police Greg Snow, and Assistant Fire Chief Michael Cota have encouraged residents to use their seatbelts or face a fine. As the summer vacation season is set to commence during Memorial Day weekend, authorities anticipate an increase in road traffic.
A Facebook post dated May 23 by the city of Midland displayed these three leaders among others discussing the campaign. According to this post, over 90% of Texans adhere to wearing seatbelts, leading to a nearly 5% decrease in fatalities involving unbuckled individuals last year compared to 2022.
However, the post also highlighted that despite this progress, there were still 1,183 unbuckled drivers and passengers who lost their lives on Texas roads.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) asserts that since its inception in 2004, the Click It or Ticket initiative has saved more than 7,800 lives.
The NHTSA also informs motorists that law enforcement presence on the roadways will be heightened as Click It or Ticket remains in effect until June 2.
According to TxDOT’s website, any individual caught not wearing a seat belt in Texas could potentially face fines and court costs up to $200.