Last year 127 Texans who were not wearing seat belts died in traffic accidents. Another 335 suffered serious injuries. A Click It or Ticket campaign starts today in the Greater Houston Area. TxDOT's Deidrea George says, "There will be more officers out on Texas roadways specifically looking for those drivers and passengers who are not wearing seat belts. The officers will be writing tickets that come with a fine of up to 200 dollars." George goes on to explain the severity of NOT wearing a seatbelt. "If you're wearing a seatbelt in a passenger car, you are more likely to survive a major crash if you are wearing a seat belt by 45%. If you're in a pick up truck and wearing a seatbelt, your chances of survival are 60%."
Houston Teen Killed just after Taking Off their Seatbelt to take a Selfie
George comments that the Houston area is a dangerous place to drive without wearing a seat belt. These are last year's numbers. "We had 417 motor vehicle crashes where unrestrained occupants sustained 127 fatalities and 335 serious injuries."
photo: Getty