Narragansett Police Department Participating in March Click It or Ticket Campaign

NARRAGANSETT — Police Chief Sean Corrigan is pleased to report that the Narragansett Police Department has been awarded a grant from the Rhode Island Department of Transportation’s Office on Highway Safety (OHS) to increase the number of patrols and to remind drivers and passengers about the lifesaving benefits of wearing a seat belt.

The Narragansett Police Department is joining other agencies across the state in Rhode Island’s St. Patrick’s Day Click It or Ticket mobilization, which runs from March 13-19.

As part of the campaign, the department is stepping up its enforcement of seat belt use and educating drivers on their importance in an effort to help lessen unbelted serious injuries and fatalities on roadways statewide. 

“Seat belts are the best way to protect yourself while on the road and can help to lower the number of crashes that result in serious injuries or deaths,” Chief Corrigan said. “Through the Click It or Ticket mobilization, we hope to not only enforce seat belt laws in our community, but educate drivers and passengers on the importance of buckling up every time you get in a vehicle.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that of the 23,824 passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in 2020, 51% were not wearing seat belts.

In Rhode Island, fatalities resulting from crashes where seat belts were not used accounted for approximately 22% of total fatalities in 2018, according to OHS. OHS also notes that as of Feb. 27, of the 14 crash fatalities so far in 2023, eight weren’t wearing a seat belt and two were ejected from the vehicle as a result of the crash. 

According to the NHTSA, buckling up is the single most effective thing you can do to protect yourself in a crash. Properly wearing a seat belt helps keep you safe and secure inside your vehicle, whereas not wearing a seat belt can result in you being ejected from the vehicle in a crash, which is almost always deadly. 

Research shows that buckling up in the front seat of a passenger car can reduce your risk of fatal injury by 45% and moderate or critical injury by 50%. In a light truck, buckling up can reduce your risk of fatal injury by 60% and moderate or critical injury by 65%. 

To buckle up safely: 

• The lap belt and shoulder belt should be secured across the pelvis and rib cage, which are better able to withstand crash forces than other parts of your body.
• The shoulder belt should be placed across the middle of your chest and away from your neck.
• The lap belt should rest across your hips, not your stomach.
• The shoulder belt should NEVER be put behind your back or under an arm.

More information about seat belt safety can be found at nhtsa.gov.

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