Motorists reminded to “Click It to Avoid A Ticket” This Memorial Day Holiday Weekend

And as they do during every major holiday weekend, State troopers and local law enforcement are asking everyone to make the summer travel season a safe one this year by remembering to click their seat belt or risk being handed a ticket.

With many Georgians expected to be on the road during the Memorial Day holiday weekend, officers are sharing personal stories of seat belts saving their lives or the lives of others to show why we all need to buckle up on every trip.

At this year’s CLICK IT OR TICKET press conference in Jekyll Island Cpl. Kris Hall with the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office shared his experience with a major two-vehicle crash last month in Habersham County in which a Dodge Durango carrying a family of six that hit a Chevy pickup that turned in front of them.

Corporal Hall said lives were saved in that accident because of seatbelts.

“There were no brake marks, so we estimate the speed (at the time of impact) was probably 65 miles per hour,” he said. “The driver of the pickup truck was partially ejected. He sustained broken bones and was transported to the hospital. Everybody in the Durango survived with just minor injuries all because they were wearing their seat belts, including the children. All the children were properly buckled in their child safety seats and they were properly installed.”

Hall said he and other law enforcement will be looking for impaired drivers and those not wearing seatbelts this weekend.

“After seeing so many crashes in 26 years of law enforcement, it is good to know this family survived because the mother and father were wearing their seat belts and made sure their children were properly restrained,” Cpl. Hall said. “Our H.E.A.T. unit and other agencies conduct seatbelt, distracted driving, and sobriety checkpoints on a regular basis and our enforcement efforts have helped reduce the number of people killed in traffic crashes in Habersham County by 67 percent over the last five year,” he concluded.

The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, Georgia State Patrol, and local law enforcement offers the following tips for those traveling during the Memorial Day holiday weekend:

1.Allow extra time for your trip.
2.Make sure everyone is buckled up before getting on the road.
3.Program navigational devices before your trip and find a safe place to park off the road if you need to change your destination.
4.Take breaks on long trips and switch drivers if possible.
5.Never get behind the wheel when drinking and always arrange a ride with sober designated driver.