WHEELING, W. Va. (WTRF)-You might want to think twice the next time you drive off without a seat belt on.
Agencies from the tri-state area are teaming up for the Click it or Ticket it Border to Border initiative. They’ll be at state border checkpoints to make sure you and your passengers are properly buckled.
US Transportation officials say too many lives are lost because of not wearing a seat belt. In 2020 alone, 10,000 unbuckled passengers were reportedly killed in a crash across the nation. Officials say that’s why it’s so important to buckle up.
“We can’t stress enough… wearing your seat belt alone will reduce the risk of injury and/ or death in one of those crashes.”
Trooper Rocco Gagliardi, Pennsylvania State Police
“Some of the more severe crashes we’ve had to handle here at the Wheeling PD involved those without being buckled up properly. Even on the way here, I saw somebody with a child on their lap in the passenger seat of the car. Not safe. If they were to be in some type of Collison, that child’s life would be at risk.”
Lt. Josh Sanders. Wheeling Police Department
Officials remind us to be especially careful this time of year. That’s because fatal crashes generally go up between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day.