Thanksgiving Click It or Ticket yields 3,781 safety belt violations

More than 3,700 drivers and passengers were cited for seat belt and child passenger safety violations during the Thanksgiving Click It or Ticket campaign.

The statewide campaign was Nov. 19-25.

“Multiple crashes have been reported in the news recently where motorists who were not wearing their seat belts have been killed. It is imperative that everyone in the car buckles up,” State Transportation Secretary Gene Conti said. “I thank all of the law enforcement agencies for their hard work reinforcing this message.”

State and local law enforcement officers issued the citations during more than 4,600 checkpoints and stepped-up patrols.

In addition to cracking down on unrestrained drivers and passengers, officers throughout the state charged 815 motorists with driving while impaired. Officers also issued 4,574 criminal violations, including 831 drug charges. They recovered 43 stolen vehicles and captured 825 fugitives.

In Brunswick County, 491 traffic and criminal violations were issued during the campaign.

There were 11 checkpoints and 46 saturation patrols throughout the county which netted 26 DWI charges, 39 safety belt violations, 11 child passenger safety violations, 102 speeding violations, 27 driving while license revoked, one graduated driver’s license charge, 107 other traffic violations, 16 uninsured motorists, 20 reckless driving violations, 48 drug violations, seven fugitive arrests, two felony arrests and 15 other criminal violations.

Click It or Ticket is administered by the N.C. Governor’s Highway Safety Program