UNDATED (NewsDakota.com) – Beginning Monday, May 18, the North Dakota Highway Patrol will increase patrols across the state to encourage motorists to buckle up and wear their seat belt.

The increased patrols are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Click it or Ticket campaign that runs through May 31.

Seat belts are the best defense against impaired, aggressive, and distracted drivers. Buckling up helps keep occupants safe and secure inside the vehicle. If you are involved in a crash and are not buckled up, you can be ejected from the vehicle, which can be deadly.

Seatbelts are designed to be used in conjunction with vehicles’ other safety features. Air bags alone do not provide enough protection. In fact, the force of an air bag can seriously injure you if you’re not properly buckled up. Proper use of safety features is the best defense against unexpected hazards on roadways so you, and those traveling with you, can make it to your destination safely.

In addition to ensuring all occupants are properly buckled up, responsible drivers should always drive sober, drive distraction free, drive for the current weather conditions, and always follow posted speed limits.

Many factors lead to crashes. You can control the outcome by wearing a seatbelt, which gives you the best chance of survival. From 2017 to 2019, 124 people who were not wearing their seat belts died in motor vehicle crashes in North Dakota.

All motorists, from those just beginning to those with decades of driving experience, should consistently practice responsible driving because safe driving choices matter. Buckle up for a bright future as we all work toward Vision Zero.