From Monday, May 20, through Sunday, June 2, the Garland Police Department joins the Texas Department of Transportation and the Texas Department of Public Safety by stepping up enforcement for seatbelt and child safety seat violations during the Click It or Ticket Campaign.
The increased enforcement aims to reduce the severity of injuries and deaths related to crashes where passengers were unrestrained.
Texas law requires drivers and all passengers – including those in the back seat – to wear a seatbelt or risk a ticket, fines and court costs up to $200 each. Children younger than 8-years-old must be in a child safety seat or booster seat unless they are taller than 4 feet 9 inches. Fines issued to drivers for unrestrained children in their vehicle can be as high as $250 plus court costs.
Currently, more than 90% of Texans wear seatbelts. In 2023, the number of people who died while not wearing a seatbelt decreased 4.8% over 2022. However, 1,183 unbuckled drivers and passengers were killed on Texas roadways.
Seatbelt, child safety seat information from TxDOT website:
Vehicle crashes continue to be a leading cause of death for U.S. teenagers. The number of teenagers killed in Texas who weren’t wearing their seatbelt increased from 144 in 2021 to 162 in 2022, the equivalent of three full school buses.
“We want to remind our teens to always buckle up, no matter how far the drive,” said TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams. “It only takes a few seconds to put on your seatbelt, and that simple click can save a life.”
Seatbelts offer the best protection in a crash. Unfortunately, seatbelt use remains low among Texas teen drivers and passengers. In 2022, 51% (162 of 320) of teens killed in vehicle crashes were not wearing seatbelts.
Seatbelt safety guidelines
- Ensure seatbelt fits snugly across the hips, not over the stomach.
- Ensure shoulder belt goes over the shoulder and across the center of the chest.
- Never tuck the shoulder belt underneath your arm or behind your back.
Car seat safety guidelines
- Children must be secured in the appropriate car or booster seat.
- Birth to 2-years-old: All infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car seat until they are two years old, or until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their safety seat’s manufacturer.
- Over 2-years-old: Any child 2 or older who has outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit for a car seat, should use a forward-facing car seat with a harness for as long as possible, up to the highest weight or height allowed by their car seat’s manufacturer. This also applies to any child younger than 2 who has outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit of their seat.
- Ages 4-8: Children whose weight or height exceeds the limit for a forward-facing car seat should switch to a belt-positioning booster seat. These children should remain in a booster seat until the vehicle seatbelt fits properly, typically when they reach four feet and nine inches in height and are 8-12.
- Check car seat labels for exceptions and additional guidance.
Free car seat checks – TxDOT offers free car seat checks at its 25 district offices across the state. Find the nearest location at Save Me With a Seat.