Click on thumbnail to enlarge

The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office will participate in a seat belt enforcement campaign aimed at drivers and passengers in pickup trucks who are not properly buckled, said Caddo Sheriff Steve Prator.

The “Buckle Up in Your Truck” promotion runs April 20-26.  Grants from the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission will allow Caddo deputies and other law enforcement officers across the state to work extra hours enforcing Louisiana’s seat belt law while focusing on pickups.  

According to statewide surveys and data, pickup drivers and passengers fall well behind those of other passenger vehicles when it comes to wearing seat belts. Pickup trucks are also twice as likely to rollover than cars in fatal crashes.

Louisiana has a primary enforcement seat-belt law, meaning officers can stop and ticket anyone they spot not buckled up. Although this campaign focuses on pickup drivers and passengers, deputies working the grant will be enforcing seatbelt and child occupant protection laws for all vehicles.