Buckle Up: Deputies to be Out in Full Force During Memorial Day Holiday Season

Wearing a seat belt.

It's a simple thing that many drivers either forget to do or decide not to do every single day. Because of that, many drivers have died in crashes where they could have walked away.

For me, putting a seat belt on has become second nature. I do it sometimes when I drive across my neighborhood to my mailbox.

Am I saying that to brag? Absolutely not.

I say it because getting in the habit of putting it on takes away the forgetfullness or the inconvenient feeling of doing so.

As a matter of fact, I find that if I happen to leave my seat belt off during a drive to the mailbox or down the road to get gas that I will catch myself forgetting to put it on during my next drive.

So, I rarely don't put it on.

I say all of this because I hate reporting on fatal crashes. And, more importantly than myself, law enforcement officers hate working fatal crashes and having to inform relatives of their deceased loved one. In talking with police officers, it's something they have told me that sticks with them for the rest of their lives.

According to the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, in 2020, more than half of all young adults ages 18 to 34 killed in crashes were completely unrestrained. Men make up the majority of those killed in crashes, representing 67% of all passenger vehicle occupant deaths in 2020. Data shows that 55% of men killed in crashes were unrestrained, compared to 43% of women killed in crashes.

In St. Mary Parish, sheriff's deputies will join other local law enforcement agencies in participating in the Click It or Ticket campaign from May 23rd through June 5th. This includes the weeks leading up to and after Memorial Day Weekend, which is a time when many people will be traveling. Deputies will be checking drivers for proper seat belt and safety seat use and other violations.

I would also expect these efforts from law enforcement across the state of Louisiana.

The Click It or Ticket campaign is coordinated and funded by the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.