Since some 468 deaths and 25,200 nonfatal disabling injuries will needlessly occur on the nation's roadways during the upcoming 3-day Memorial Day weekend, today is the beginning of the “Click It or Ticket” campaign, an Enforcement Blitz Buckling Down on Those Not Buckled Up – Day and Night to reduce highway injuries and fatalities. The campaign coordinated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in conjunction with law enforcement agencies and state highway safety offices, will run from May 19 through Memorial Day to June 1st.

Regular seat belt use is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes. In 2006, 72 percent of passenger vehicle occupants in a serious crash who were buckled up, survived the crash, and when worn correctly, seat belts have proven to reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants by 45 percent – and by 60 percent – in pickup trucks, SUVs and minivans. Yet nearly one in five Americans (18 percent nationally) still fail to regularly wear their seat belts when driving or riding in a motor vehicle.

Support this campaign by communicating to your workforce that seat belt use is a top priority for your organization. Use existing internal dissemination channels (email, intranet, newsletters, supervisors) to send the NETS flyer linked below to all employees. Utilize security officers and parking lot attendants to reinforce the message by printing and distributing the NETS flyer. Click here to download the pdf file.

Employers have an excellent opportunity to save thousands of lives each year, prevent serious injuries, and save millions in economic costs by promoting seat belt laws already on the books.