JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NDDOT) – In North Dakota, unbelted motor vehicle fatalities are trending higher in 2022 than in 2021.

To save lives, law enforcement across the state will have extra patrols from Nov. 1 – Dec. 15 for the Click It or Ticket campaign enforcing the state seat belt law.

Preliminary crash fatalities in 2022 have reached 89 as of Oct. 21, 2022. Of these fatalities, nearly 64% were unbelted where seat belts were present in the vehicle, compared to the same period in 2021 where 47% of the 88 fatalities were not buckled.

Seat belts are the single most effective safety device to prevent death and injury in a motor vehicle crash. Crash data shows a direct correlation between seat belt use and injury severity. Unbelted vehicle occupants in crashes in North Dakota account for the largest percent of fatalities, while belted occupants most commonly receive non-serious or no injuries.

“Make sure everyone in your vehicle is buckled up before you put it in drive,” said Jamestown Police Chief Scott Edinger. “Be the example for all of your passengers by buckling up first.”

This campaign is part of the Vision Zero strategy to eliminate motor vehicle crash fatalities and serious injuries on North Dakota roads.

Visit the North Dakota Crash Memorial Wall to view memorials built on the hope of preventing another death on North Dakota roads.