As the official start of summer draws near and motorists take to the roadways for summer vacations, the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office is reminding motorists to “Click It or Ticket.”

The national campaign aimed at keeping families safe through seatbelt education and enforcement will take place May 21 through June 3, concurrent with the busy travel season.

The Caddo Sheriff’s Office and other participating law enforcement agencies are taking a no-excuses approach to seatbelt law violators and will be writing citations day and night. Caddo deputies will work extra hours to enforce seatbelt laws and are being paid through funding provided by the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission (LHSC). Deputies will also participate in a “Safety Checkpoint” with other agencies. Additional details on the checkpoint will be released at a later time.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly half (48%) of the passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in 2016 were unrestrained. At night from 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., that number rose to 56 percent of those killed. That’s why one focus of the Click It or Ticket campaign is nighttime enforcement.

The Click It or Ticket campaign emphasizes safety education, strong laws, and law enforcement officers saving lives. In 2016, the use of seatbelts in passenger vehicles saved an estimated 14,668 lives of occupants ages 5 and older.

“If you know someone who doesn’t buckle up when they drive, please ask them to consider changing their habits,” said Sheriff Steve Prator. “It’s one of the easiest things you can do to keep you and your loved ones safe in a vehicle. Unrestrained driving can cost you your life, but that can be prevented with the simple click of a seatbelt.”