Law Enforcement To Focus On Passenger Safety During ‘Buckle Up New York’ Campaign
Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee sponsors annual enforcement campaign
Statewide effort to run from May 18 through 31
Law enforcement agencies across the state will participate in the annual ‘Buckle Up New York, Click It or Ticket’ seat belt enforcement campaign, that runs from May 18 through 31, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee announced today.
This initiative is designed to remind drivers and passengers alike that seat belts save lives—and it's the law.
The effort will involve increased, high visibility enforcement efforts focusing on vehicle occupants who are not wearing seat belts or wearing their seat belt incorrectly. Officers will also be looking out for vehicles where children are not properly restrained during the campaign.
“It takes only a few seconds to buckle a seat belt, but the impact of not doing so could cause a lifetime of damage or even curtail a life,” said Christian Jackstadt, Acting Commissioner of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. “This enforcement drive is meant to serve as a reminder to buckle up every time even if you’re driving a very short distance. And always make sure your passengers, especially your children, are properly restrained. Remembering to wear a seat belt is especially important this time of year when young people go to their proms or graduation celebrations so we want our young drivers to learn early on how important wearing a seat belt is and make it a lifelong habit.”
New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “For years, the law enforcement community has been united in our efforts to increase seat belt and child seat use. Although many drivers in New York State follow safety measures behind the wheel, there are still many who don’t. Our goal with this campaign is to address seat belt and car seat compliance before tragedy strikes and more lives are lost. And when we say address it, we mean through education, media, and heightened enforcement. We will continue our partnership with the Department of Motor Vehicles to make sure seat belt use across New York is universal.”
Juan Figueroa, Ulster County Sheriff and President of the NYS Sheriffs’ Association, said “It is a simple fact…if you don’t wear a seat belt in the car, you are more likely to be injured, or even killed, in the event of a crash. Everyone in a vehicle must wear a seat belt or be in an appropriate child restraint device, even back seat passengers. Be safe in a vehicle. The Sheriffs of New York State want you to wear your seat belt because it’s smart, it’s simple, and it’s the law.”
The New York State Association of Chiefs of Police (NYSACOP) also proudly supports the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) Buckle Up New York / Click It or Ticket traffic safety enforcement mobilization initiative.
"Seat belt use is one of the simplest and most effective ways to prevent injury or death in a crash," said Chief Paul Oliva, President of NYSACOP. "By supporting this GTSC initiative, we are helping to protect the lives of New Yorkers of all ages, in every community."
Although New York has achieved a compliance rate of 92 percent of front-seat passengers buckling up, critical safety gaps persist.
The Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research (ITSMR) data from 2024 reveals that 35 percent of fatal crashes involved unrestrained occupants.
Although this is a troubling trend, it shows a decrease of 3 percent from 2023 when 38 percent of fatal crashes involved an unrestrained occupant.
Almost half (46 percent) of backseat passenger fatalities occurred when those passengers were unrestrained. This underscores the urgent need to improve restraint usage, especially in rear seats
Since November 2020, the law has required all passengers in a vehicle to wear seat belts. Initial results show promise, with rear-seat compliance rising from 88 percent to 92 percent.
Unrestrained passengers are especially at risk at night. TSMR data from 2021-2024 highlights a significant disparity: nighttime fatalities involving unrestrained occupants are significantly higher than daytime fatalities. Notably, alcohol-related, and speed-related crashes, often occurring at night, disproportionately involve unrestrained occupants.
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