Police searching for unbuckled drivers during annual Click-it or Ticket campaign

State and local police have kicked off their annual Click-It or Ticket campaign to encourage the use of seat belts.

Last year, more than 800 people were killed on Indiana roads. Of those, 364 were not wearing seat belts.

Starting yesterday and running through June 6th, under the campaign you will see Indiana State Police troopers, Bartholomew County deputies, Columbus police and other agencies across the state, out in greater numbers writing citations and conducting high-visibility patrols. Under Indianas primary seat belt law, officers can stop and cite drivers and passengers just for failing to wear a seat belt.

Throughout the campaign, authorities will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt enforcement, which means anyone caught not wearing one will receive a citation.

You can expect to see the patrols during daylight hours, but also at night. That’s when unrestrained driving is at its peak, in the hours between midnight and 4 a.m. in the morning.

Drivers can also be cited for each unbuckled passenger in their vehicle under the age of 16, and children under eight must be properly restrained in a federally approved child or booster seat.

The campaign is being paid for with funds from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.