Buckle up! Annual Click It or Ticket campaign underway - 14 News, WFIE, Evansville, Henderson, Owensboro

Buckle up! Annual Click It or Ticket campaign underway

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TRI-STATE (WFIE) -

If you're one of those drivers who forgets or won't wear a seat belt, you could be a target.

The 2012 national Click It or Ticket campaign is underway, meaning more authorities are on the road issuing tickets to those who aren't buckled up.

Indiana State Police and many other law enforcement agencies, including those in Kentucky and Illinois, are in the midst of their annual Click It or Ticket campaigns.

That means they're looking for drivers and passengers who aren't buckled up.

"We know that seatbelts make a big difference. Last year in Indiana, the majority of people killed on our roadways weren't buckled up," said Todd Ringle with ISP. 

He says most motorists would be surprised just how easy it is for officials to determine whether or not you're wearing your seatbelt.

"We're looking for the buckle, we're looking for the chest harness going across their chest, and if a person is not buckled up, we can easily detect that," Ringle told 14 News.

Tri-state drivers should be aware: Indiana's Click It or Ticket campaign is currently underway and goes through June 3rd.

Kentucky's starts May 21st and runs until June 3rd and Illinois' is already underway and continues through Memorial Day.

So no matter where you're driving, officials are keeping a close eye on whether or not you're restrained. This applies to drivers and passengers.

"They think the driver's responsible and that's not the case. If you're at least 16 or older and you're not buckled up, you get the traffic ticket," Ringle said.

The Click It or Ticket campaign is nationwide and authorities strongly believe in it.

"We know that simply putting on a seatbelt can mean the difference between life or death," said Ringle. 

The campaign this year will place extra emphasis on enforcement during evening and early morning hours.

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