LYNCHBURG, Tenn. – They’ve been at it since May 19 and this weekend, the Metro Moore County Sheriff’s Office will conclude their Click It of Ticket Campaign in Lynchburg.

The local department partnered with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) to remind motorists to Click It or Ticket. They partnered with othe agencies to increase seat belt enforcement as part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) nationwide mobilization.

“We want seat belt use to be an automatic habit for drivers and passengers alike,” said Chief Deputy Shane Taylor. “It’s not just a safe thing to do — it’s the law. During the Click It or Ticket campaign, we’ll be working with our fellow law enforcement officers across local and state lines to ensure the message gets out to drivers and passengers. Buckling up is the simplest thing you can do to limit injury or save your life during a crash. We see the results of not wearing a seat belt all the time. We see the loss of life. So often, it could have been prevented.”

One focus of the Click It or Ticket campaign is nighttime enforcement. NHTSA data shows a higher number of unrestrained passenger vehicle occupant fatalities happen at night. Also, seat belt use differs among females and males. According to Tennessee’s Integrated Traffic Analysis Network (TITAN), 42 percent of males killed in Tennessee crashes last year were unrestrained. Of females killed in crashes, 29 percent were not buckled up. Participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement, writing citations day and night. In Metro Moore County, your first seat belt violationwill cost you a $30 fine.

For more information about seat belt safety, visit www.tntrafficsafety.org/seat-belts. •

{The Lynchburg Times is a non-partisan, locally owned community newspaper located in Lynchburg, Tennessee. We publish new stories daily as well as breaking news as it happens. It’s run by a Moore County native and Tulane University-educated journalist with over 20 years of experience. It’s also one of the few women-owned newspapers in the state. We are supported by both readers and community partners who believe in independent journalism for the common good. You can support us by clicking here. }