Douglas County deputies enforcing seat belt rules

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office will be participating in the fall 2011 Click It or Ticket mobilization period Nov. 14-22.

This enforcement detail is partially paid for by a grant from the state Department of Public Safety, Office of Traffic Safety.

National traffic studies have shown regular seat belt use is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce fatalities in motor vehicle accidents. When worn correctly, seat belts have been proven to reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat occupants by 45 percent in cars, and up to 60 percent in trucks, SUVs and minivans.

Seat belts are the single most effective piece of safety equipment in a vehicle, yet National Highway Traffic Safety Administration studies show that nearly one out of five Americans still fail to wear a seat belt when operating or riding in a motor vehicle.