WHEN WILL IT CLICK?
Seat Belts save lives.
Seat belts are your best defense against unsafe drivers – buckling up is the single most important step you can take to save your life or the life of a loved one in a crash.
The District Department of Transportation and the Metropolitan Police Department are working with Mayor Bowser on the Vision Zero Initiative, which aims to reduce serious transportation-related injuries and fatalities by 2024 through a comprehensive approach to transportation safety ranging from road design to perceptions and behavior.
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THE FACTS
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Here are some seat belt statistics from across the nation:
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Lap and shoulder seat belts – when worn – lower the risk of death to passengers in the front seat by 45 percent.
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Data shows that, among passengers aged 18-to-34 who have been killed in crashes, 63 percent were not buckled up.
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61% of passengers killed at night were unbuckled. Buckle up even when it’s dark.
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The District of Columbia’s law allows police to stop a vehicle solely because its driver and/or passengers are not properly buckled up.
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It’s a $50 fine and 2 points for not having your seat belt buckled at all times – for drivers and all passengers, front and back seats.
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All children under 8 must be properly seated in an infant, toddler or booster seat. Eight- to 16-year-olds must be secured with a safety belt.
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Children aged two-to-five years old who use safety belts instead of safety seats or booster seats are four times more likely to suffer a head injury in a crash.
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Drivers who fail to properly secure their child face a $75 fine and 2 points for a first offense, and up to $150 fine for subsequent offenses.
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Drivers are responsible for seat belt compliance for all passengers.
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ENACTED ITS SEAT BELT LAW IN 1997. SINCE THEN, INJURIES HAVE BEEN PREVENTED AND LIVES SAVED.
