Massachusetts is Serious About Saving Lives
It has been well-documented that safety belts help reduce the risk of serious injury or death in the event of a motor vehicle crash. Drivers and passengers increase their risk of injury or death by up to 50% when not wearing safety belts. In 2009, Massachusetts recorded 347 fatalities and 3,193 serious injuries related to motor vehicle crashes on the roadway of the Commonwealth. This was a marked decrease from the 364 fatalities and 3,983 serious injuries reported in 2008.
Through federal highway safety grant funding, the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Highway Safety Division has been successfully implementing the annual “Click It or Ticket” initiative since 2002. Over the past 7 years, Click It or Ticket initiatives have helped increase safety belt usage in Massachusetts from 51% in 2002 to 74% in 2009. During the same period, fatalities involving non-restrained (belted) vehicle occupants dropped significantly from 57% of crash fatalities to 23%.
Massachusetts law requires all occupants to be properly restrained by safety belts when riding in a private passenger motor vehicle, including vans and trucks. Learn more about the Massachusetts Safety Belt Law as well as the Massachusetts Child Passenger Safety Law.
Click It or Ticket is made possible in Massachusetts through federal highway safety grant funding used by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Highway Safety Division (EOPSS-HSD).
The Massachusetts Click It or Ticket initiative was started in the fall of 2002. It is based on a successful national model developed by NHTSA that involves two to three week “mobilization” periods of high-visibility traffic enforcement, paid and earned media, and community education.
- EOPSS-HSD grants to state and local police for extra traffic enforcement, with special emphasis on the lack of safety belt and child safety seat use;
- EOPSS-HSD-funded paid and earned media;
Partners
Massachusetts State Police, Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, MassHighway, MassPike, Massport, Massachusetts Division of Insurance, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Board of Appeal on Motor Vehicle Liability Policies and Bonds, Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, Massachusetts Safety Officers League, AAA Southern New England, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Mothers Against Drunk Driving – Massachusetts Office, Students Against Destructive Decisions – Massachusetts Chapter, Berkshire Medical Center, Massachusetts Emergency Nurses Association, Bristol County Sheriff’s Office, Caritas Holy Family Medical Center
For more information, please contact Caroline Hymoff, Senior Program Manager at the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Highway Safety Division. |
