Law enforcement agencies throughout the state will be cracking down on violators who refuse to buckle up, it was announced Wednesday.
The statewide "Click It or Ticket" campaign is set for May 24 to June 6 and will entail stepped-up efforts to nab motorists and their passengers not wearing safety belts, authorities said.
"Keep your friends and family safe by buckling up no matter where you're going," said Corona police Chief Richard Madory. "We will be looking for motorists ... who are not buckling up, day and night. It's not just about avoiding a ticket; it's about keeping the ones you care about alive."
The first-time fine for failing to wear a seatbelt has increased from $132 to $142 for adults, and from $432 to $445 for children under 16, according to the California Office of Traffic Safety, which is coordinating the Click It campaign.
"Wearing a seat belt is just simply the easiest and most effective thing you can do on the road to protect yourself and your family," said OTS Director Christopher Murphy.
He said the seatbelt compliance rate in California is around 95 percent, but tens of thousands of motorists still don't buckle up.
Statistics show drivers and their passengers wearing seatbelts have a 50 greater chance of survival in a crash, according to Murphy.
