Kansas law enforcement encourages drivers to 'Buckle Up!' this summer

MANHATTAN (KSNT) - Law enforcement is telling Kansans to "Buckle Up!" this month.

The annual Click-it-or-Ticket campaign is underway, just in time for a busy Memorial Day weekend of travel.

On Wednesday, May 22, 2024, a campaign event was held in the Little Apple to pay tribute to the armed forces and discuss the importance of seat belt safety. Everyone in attendance had the same goal: 'to save lives.' 

Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) officials say the number of people wearing seatbelts has increased dramatically within a year, jumping from 61% in 2023 to 85% in 2024. However, they want that number to be 100%, including military members. 

Brigadier General Michael T. Venerdi, the Kansas Adjutant General, spoke at the podium, telling everyone how service members can mitigate the safety of duty in their personal lives. 

"We can apply the same principles of safety and risk mitigation while in our civilian or personal lives that we apply while on duty," Venerdi said. 

27 News also spoke to State Trooper Ben Gardner with the Kansas Highway Patrol about the importance of this campaign. 

"Click it or ticket is such a valuable time for law enforcement officers to be proactive in delivering a message to remind people to wear their seatbelts at all times," Gardner said. 

Officials say every 47 minutes, on average, someone dies in a crash due to not wearing a seat belt nationally. Police are ramping up patrols this time of the year to keep people safe. 

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