David Martin was just driving home from a long day at work. The traffic on the interstate was blocked up miles ahead and the agony of getting home was getting more intense. With just one mistake, things could take a turn for the worst especially without a seatbelt being worn.
“I just looked at the other side of the road briefly and saw another car flip over and hit another driver. It was the most terrifying thing I have ever saw. I’m extremely lucky I didn’t get hit. I just hoped that the driver was okay, but unfortunately not once I looked at the news when I safely got home. No seat belt was worn which cost a precious life,” Martin said.
The Click It Or Ticket law in Pennsylvania has been in effect for 15 years. This law implements the usage of seat belts and makes it very clear for drivers to understand the importance of using them. Efforts from state police help drivers of all ages to stay safe on the roads.
Along with this law, law enforcement is making sure that people are aware of the dangers of driving without a seat belt. Proper measurements of car seats for children are also being enforced for parents. Designated centers are checking car seats for children and it is recommended for children to remain being a passenger with a car seat until the age of 12.
Car seats along with seat belts are required by law and must be utilized while driving with children in the car. Parents are always reminded on websites and on flyers to make sure children are always wearing a seatbelt and are in the back seat of the car. They are also reminded that infants should face the rear of the vehicle and not regularly, if in the case of an accident, the infant won’t be impacted as hard facing the rear.
“Always. I’ve always kept my car seats up to par to keep my children safe. They now make car seats that adjust to a child’s age and their needs in the car all the way up to age 12. No one wants to lose their child, so keeping them safe is always a parents “FIRST” responsibility behind the wheel,” Julie Lick, mother of two, said.
Car accidents in the US are becoming more and more common to us. They lead to losing loved ones and most of the time it is due to careless driving on either the driver or someone else on the road. Being safe is a drivers “number one” priority on the road, to themselves and for others.
Forty-nine percent of people involved in crashes, who have passed away, have not worn a seatbelt during the crash. During this time, winter was one of the most dangerous seasons along with summer. Now, you’ll see that increasing in ticketing throughout the night hours, due to more reckless driving at night when no one is on the roads.
Click it or Ticket is implemented now within all 50 states of the United States. The importance of this law is to make sure that every driver in the US is safe on the roads wherever they go. This law also protects the passengers within the car as well, keeping young adults and children safe while in a vehicle.
For Martin, the click it or ticket law saved his life. Driving down the Pennsylvania TurnPike, he was nearly struck by another car when switching lanes. Without having his seatbelt on, things could of ended badly for David. But now, after that day from driving home, David Martin can tell all his family members and people he comes across to “Click it or Ticket”.
