 Young males ages 18-34 were a third of the 955 people who died on
Illinois roadways last year, accounting for 317 deaths. Bringing
this message home when the "Click It or Ticket" mobilization was
announced was Melissa Ledezma, who lost her teenage son in a crash
while he was not buckled up. She discussed her family's crusade to
save lives by wearing seat belts.
The Illinois State Police and more than 500 local law enforcement
agencies are cracking down on seat belt law violators through the
Memorial Day weekend. During the two-week mobilization, police have
been directing extra enforcement of seat belt, impaired driving and
other traffic laws during all hours of the day and night, with a
large number of patrols occurring during late-night hours. In
addition, special emphasis has been placed on late-afternoon hours,
when data shows unbuckled motor vehicle fatalities begin to rise.
According to data, seat belt use on Illinois roadways declines
drastically in the nighttime hours, 9 p.m.-6 a.m., but a significant
decline in seat belt use begins in the 4 p.m. hour. For the five
years from 2008 through 2012, 36 percent of those who died in
crashes from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. were not belted. That figure rises
significantly beginning at 4 p.m., when 43 percent of individuals
suffering fatal injuries were not properly belted. Seat belt use
continues to decline well into the night.
For this reason, IDOT, the Illinois State Police and local law
enforcement agencies statewide remind motorists that seat belt
enforcement has been stepped up during the current mobilization.
During rush hour, motorists choosing to not buckle up have been more
likely to receive a ticket.
Since the "Click It or Ticket" campaign began in July 2003, seat
belt usage in Illinois has jumped to 93.6 percent, one of the
nation's highest seat belt usage rates. The increase in seat belt
use has resulted in thousands of lives saved in that time and is
responsible for a direct decline in Illinois motor vehicle
fatalities.
"Even with 9 out of 10 motorists buckling up in Illinois, far too
many people are still dying unbuckled, especially during certain
times of the day," said Illinois Transportation Secretary Ann L.
Schneider. "IDOT, the Illinois State Police and hundreds of great
local police and sheriff's departments are saying (with the
mobilization) that this needs to change.
"IDOT is utilizing federal safety dollars to assist Illinois law
enforcement to provide more seat belt enforcement. They'll be out
there during rush hour, during the morning commute and during those
late-night hours when the most unbuckled fatalities occur. If you're
caught unbuckled or driving drunk, you'll be given a ticket or
arrested. It is not about money; it's not about tickets. It's about
saving lives," Schneider added.
[to top of second column] |
"The Illinois State Police will be joined by all ranks of law
enforcement across Illinois to deploy roadside safety checks, seat
belt missions and DUI enforcement," said ISP Director Hiram Grau.
"Law enforcement's collective message is clear: One fatality is one
too many, so don't drink and drive, and buckle up."
More than $1.2 million in federal safety funding has been made
available to the Illinois State Police and more than 540 local law
enforcement agencies to provide additional safety belt and drunk
driving patrols during this two-week "Click It or Ticket"
mobilization period. These grants fund thousands of seat belt
enforcement zones and seat belt saturation patrols. Fifty percent or
more of these patrols are to occur during nighttime hours, 9 p.m. to
6 a.m. The mobilization also includes drunk driving enforcement,
with over 50 roadside safety checks.
For more information about the "Click It or Ticket" campaign in
Illinois, go to
www.buckleupillinois.org.
Illinois motor vehicle fatalities by
time of day and safety belt use, 2008-2012
|
Hour |
Total
fatal-
ities |
Fatal-
ities
not belted |
Percent
of hourly fatals not belted |
|
Midnight-12:59 a.m. |
110 |
76 |
69.3% |
|
1-1:59 a.m. |
126 |
88 |
70.0% |
|
2-2:59.a.m. |
139 |
83 |
59.9% |
|
3-3:59.a.m. |
107 |
87 |
81.5% |
|
4-4:59.a.m. |
80 |
49 |
61.4% |
|
5-5:59.a.m. |
81 |
40 |
49.5% |
|
6-6:59.a.m. |
101 |
52 |
51.6% |
|
7-7:59.a.m. |
91 |
32 |
35.2% |
|
8-8:59.a.m. |
75 |
42 |
56.2% |
|
9-9:59.a.m. |
79 |
34 |
30.5% |
|
10-10:59 a.m. |
90 |
31 |
34.5% |
|
11-11:59 a.m. |
91 |
31 |
34.1% |
|
Noon-12:59 p.m. |
102 |
42 |
41.3% |
|
1-1:59 p.m. |
94 |
32 |
34.1% |
|
2-2:5 p.m. |
130 |
38 |
29.3% |
|
3-3:59 p.m. |
120 |
41 |
34.2% |
|
4-4:59 p.m. |
112 |
49 |
43.9% |
|
5-5:59 p.m. |
93 |
51 |
55.0% |
|
6-6:59 p.m. |
107 |
52 |
48.7% |
|
7-7:59 p.m. |
100 |
50 |
50.1% |
|
8-8:59 p.m. |
94 |
54 |
57.6% |
|
9-9:59 p.m. |
105 |
49 |
46.8% |
|
10-10:59 p.m. |
82 |
53 |
64.8% |
|
11-11:59 p.m. |
134 |
84 |
62.8% |
|
Totals |
2,443 |
1,233 |
50.5% |
[Text from
Illinois Department of
Transportation file received from the
Illinois Office of Communication and Information] |
