Extra patrols aimed at reminding people to 'Click it or Ticket'

Law enforcement in the region will have increased patrols on the streets to enforce seat belt laws - especially for teens - through May 15.

Carson City Sheriff's Deputy Jarrod Adams said regular seat belt use is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes.

"The goal of this targeted 'Click It or Ticket' enforcement mobilization is to reduce the number of crash-related fatalities by reminding all drivers and passengers, but teens in particular, to buckle up every time they get in a vehicle."

According to the Centers for Disease Control, compared with other age groups, teens have the lowest rate of seat belt use. In 2005, 10 percent of high school students reported they rarely or never wear seat belts when riding with someone else. Male high school students (12.5 percent) were more likely than female students (7.8 percent) to rarely or never wear seat belts. African-American students (13.4 percent) and Hispanic students (10.6 percent) were more likely than white students to rarely or never wear seat belts.

"This is not about the number of tickets we write, it's about the number of lives we save," said Adams, noting that in 2006, more than 30,500 drivers and passengers were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes nationwide, and of those, 4,842 were teens between the ages of 16 and 20.

The Washoe County Sheriff's Office, Nevada Highway Patrol, Sparks Police Department, Reno Police Department, Washoe County School District Police, the University of Nevada Reno Police, Churchill County Sheriff's Office, Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Fallon Police Department and Mineral County Sheriffs' Department along with Carson City are taking part in the nationwide campaign.

Overtime for the program is paid for by the Joining Forces Grant, Office of Traffic Safety, Department of Public Safety.