Operation Click It or Ticket Underway Through Early December

Operation Click It or Ticket, Georgia’s high visibility seat belt enforcement program, began Monday and will continue through Sunday, December 3.

Georgia State Troopers and local law enforcement will be out in force to catch impaired drivers and check for seat belts and car safety seats in vehicles.

Lavonia Police Chief Shane Edmisten said he plans on stepping up patrols this weekend, especially around the Interstate.

In addition to occupant protection violations, annual Operation Click It or Ticket campaigns typically also result in the arrests of fugitives, people driving under the influence, driving without insurance, driving stolen vehicles, and driving on a suspended license.

Additionally, Georgia State Patrol troopers from the Hartwell Post 52 and the Toccoa Post 7 will be conducting concentrated patrols and road checks during the period to remind motorists to buckle up and take the time to properly restrain children.

Georgia law requires children under the age of six to be restrained at all times in a child passenger restraining system while traveling in a passenger automobile, van, or pickup truck.

Children under age 6 must be in a child safety seat and children ages 6 through 17 must be restrained by a seat belt at all times in all types of vehicles.

Chief Edmisten said if you need to have your child’s car seat checked to make sure it’s the right size for your child and installed correctly you can call the Lavonia Police Department to make an appointment.

The Lavonia Police Department now has three officers certified in child safety seat inspections.

Adults 18 years of age and older must use seat belts while driving or while riding in the front seat of passenger vehicles, including sport utility vehicles.

The nationwide seat belt usage rate was 90.7 percent in 2019 and of the 37,133 people killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2017, 47% were not wearing seat belts.