Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Transportation’s State Highway Safety Office joins law enforcement agencies across the state and nation in urging drivers to Buckle Up today and every day. Law enforcement officers and first responders from Vermont and New York, with support from the Vermont and New York State Highway Safety Offices, held a press conference today at the Fairhaven Welcome Center to raise awareness about the Buckle Up seat belt safety campaign.
The “Border to Border” event kicked off the national seat belt enforcement campaign, and speakers reminded drivers of the importance of wearing seat belts. In addition, high-school students participated in a friendly competition called “Battle of the Belts,” a fun way to demonstrate how quick and easy it is to buckle your seat belt.
This year marks Vermont and New York’s 24th year participating in the national seat belt enforcement campaign. This campaign (also known throughout the country as the Click It or Ticket campaign) began in North Carolina in 1993. Vermont and New York joined the movement in 2002, and since 2004 all U.S. states and territories have participated in the campaign each year.
“The goal for this campaign is to change behavior and educate people of the importance of wearing a seat belt,” said Lieutenant Kevin Geno of the Rutland County Sheriff’s Department. “Through enforcement and outreach efforts, we hope to keep people safe and remind all drivers and passengers of the importance of buckling up. Issuing tickets is not the goal, but sometimes it helps to remind people to wear their seat belt. Some day that simple action may save your life or the life of a loved one.”
The Vermont seat belt use rate in 2024 was 88.4%, which is around the national average, but Vermonters can do better. In the last 10 years (2024 to 2015), there were 256 fatalities in Vermont involving unbuckled occupants. In that same period, 39.69% of people who died in Vermont crashes were unbuckled. From 2020 to 2024, there were 493 serious injuries and 136 fatalities involving unbuckled occupants. Males in Vermont account for 19.1% more unbelted fatalities and serious injuries than females from 2015 to 2024. In that same period, Vermonters under the age of 30 accounted for 36.0% of all unbelted fatalities and serious injuries, and 37 children were killed or seriously injured from improper restraint usage.
“One of the safest choices that drivers and passengers can make is to buckle up,” said Transportation Secretary Joe Flynn. “Seat belts are the best defense against impaired, aggressive, and distracted drivers because during a crash, your seat belt helps to keep you safe and secure inside your vehicle. Please make sure the seat belt fits properly, and buckle up every time – for short trips, long trips, and during the day and night. We want everyone to arrive safely at their destination, every time. So please, Buckle Up, Vermont. You’re worth every click.”
During this Buckle Up enforcement campaign, participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement, working hard to help keep Vermonters safe.
For more information about the national seat belt enforcement mobilization, please visit NHTSA.gov/ClickIt or Drive Well Vermont.
Vermont Agency of Transportation, Barre, vtrans.vermont.gov
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