Sikeston police plan to crack down on seatbelt violations Wednesday

SIKESTON, Mo. - Drivers in Sikeston should buckle their seat belts every day, however on Wednesday if they don't "click it" there will be a ticket.

The Sikeston Department of Public Safety will join the Missouri Department of Transportation's Highway Safety Division in their efforts to crack down on seatbelt violators Wednesday. This "Occupant Protection Enforcement Day" is much like a one-day "Click It or Ticket" campaign, said Sgt. Jim McMillen, DPS public information officer.

"Although our department routinely enforces seatbelt usage, we will be extra vigilant on November 18," said McMillen. "Our goal is to help keep you safe and reduce highway fatalities in our area.'

According to DPS, hundreds of people are killed on Missouri roadways each year because they simply don't take the time to buckle up. The national seatbelt usage rate is about 83 percent. However, only around 76 percent of Missourians wear their seatbelt regularly.

Nearly one in four Missourians are still choosing not to wear this life saving device, according to statistics. Some of the most common offenders are young males, pickup truck drivers and their passengers, people who live in rural areas, and nighttime drivers.

In 2007, a driver in a Missouri traffic crash had a 1 in 32 chance of being killed if they were not wearing a seatbelt. In contrast, the odds of being killed are 1 in 1,294 if a seat belt is worn.