I'm sick of the "click it or ticket" campaign

goodheartedmommy

Is anyone really scared enough of a ticket to buckle up on that alone? It seems like it would be much more effective to have a slogan alluding to the real consequence of not buckling up. I'm all for people buckling up, but I know I'm doing it because I want to save my life in an accident, not because I don't want a ticket.

Thoughts? Do you think that the threat of a ticket also gets the message across of safety?

Jen2124

I actually never really thought about it, but I do wear a seat belt for safety reasons. Although I am super careful with the speed limit bc I don' want a ticket.

Zenya

People who don't wear seatbelts are already demonstrating that they are irresponsible with their safety.  I think it's wise to target that population with some other thing (ie - money).

Plus there is a cohort of people who believe that seat belts contirbute to deaths in accidents (best friends neighbor's SIL was trapped in a car by her seatbelt, etc).

hopefulmom

My older kids didn't start using their seat belts until they each got a ticket.  They all think they are invincible.  I'm sure there are times (probably more than I care to know) that my oldest DS doesn't buckle up...especially when he is driving the big work truck.

I don't think the click it or ticket campaign has anything to do with safety.  I mean it does...but the message is that you get a ticket.  Maybe if points were added it might be more effective!

goodheartedmommy

All good points.

Zenya

hopefulmom:

My older kids didn't start using their seat belts until they each got a ticket.  They all think they are invincible.  I'm sure there are times (probably more than I care to know) that my oldest DS doesn't buckle up...especially when he is driving the big work truck.

I don't think the click it or ticket campaign has anything to do with safety.  I mean it does...but the message is that you get a ticket.  Maybe if points were added it might be more effective!

I am curious if you made them buckle up as kids?

eta:  I ask b/c I had to buckle up in the front as a child (not in the back) and now I really can't sit in the front seat w/o feeling completely naked w/o a seatbelt, you know?

A-baybride

I don't have any stats to back this up, just casual observation, but I've been driving for 23 years now (wow) and I've seen seatbelt use increase dramatically during that time.  I remember in high school feeling like such a nerd putting on my seatbelt (my parents were sticklers).  Now I never see anyone NOT use a seatbelt.

Studies have always shown that seatbelts save lives, but I don't think attitudes changed until states started making it the law (and therefore ticketable).  I don't think I even knew there was a "click it or ticket" campaign... maybe it's a regional thing?

jessicaclare

I agree with PP about the money issue. People that are safety conscious are going to buckle up no matter what. Its targeting the population that don't care about safety (or the ones that believe seat belts aren't safe) with the threat of fines.

#6

Not sure how it is in other states but in VA seat belt violations are only a secondary offense.  Meaning, you can only get a ticket for not wearing a seat belt if you are speeding or get pulled over for something else first.  (unless it is a child uner 12 I think)  At that point they can pull you over when they see a child out of a seat belt/car seat. 

(same thing goes for the texting while driving.  Its a secondary offense)

If they changed it to where you could be pulled over for just not wearing a seat belt I think more people would take it serious.  That and raise the price of the fine for not wearing a seat belt. 

Oh, and the click it or ticket is getting old.  They need something new that tells the more serious consequence of not wearing a seat belt. 

hopefulmom

Zenya... I know for a fact when we took our long car trips (36 hours sometimes) they slept in the back of the stationwagon.  Driving they always wore their seatbelt and I think they did while riding.  If it was the law back in those days I'm sure they did...but not when they were laid out sleeping.  My younger kids are always in a carseat.

When I started driving it wasn't the law to wear a seatbelt.  It was very hard for me (and my DH) to start putting it on every time.  Most (not all) of the people that I see not wearing their seatbelt are older.  I have a friend (late 50's) who never wears her's even when riding with me.  Feels weird that she doesn't have it on while I'm driving. 

Here in MI...it is a first offense (they can pull you over for non-compliance).  You don't get points but it used to be a $60 fine.  Probably doubled by now.  I suppose next will be points added to the driving record.

A-baybride

Googled and found this in a 1993 NY Times article (https://www.nytimes.com/1993/08/15/us/seat-belt-laws-grow-but-by-fits-and-starts.html).  Laws/tickets may not be sending a safety message, but they do seem to be effective at getting people to wear seatbelts.

Charles Hurley, a spokesman for the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, said that about 63 percent of American drivers now used seat belts, compared with only 11 percent a decade ago.

"In a pilot program in Haywood County, N.C., from May to July this year, they raised the seat-belt-usage rate from 43 percent to 81 percent," Mr. Hurley said. "They told people they were going to take this seriously, and then they gave out a lot of tickets. And it worked."

#6

hopefulmom:

Here in MI...it is a first offense (they can pull you over for non-compliance).  You don't get points but it used to be a $60 fine.  Probably doubled by now.  I suppose next will be points added to the driving record.

I wish they would change it in VA.  I also think that adding points would help as well. 

PoundCake

For many people, nothing phases them til you hit them in the pocket.  Raising your insurance a little may help too.