BOURBON — The Bourbon Police Department announces its participation in the national and statewide 2016 Click It or Ticket enforcement mobilization occurring May 6-30. Officers will join more than 250 state and local law enforcement agencies, and thousands more across the country, to conduct high-visibility patrols encouraging drivers and passengers to buckle up.

“Whether driving or riding, staying safe on the road begins with wearing your seatbelt,” said Bourbon Officer Matt Geiger. “Our participation in this campaign is a great way to increase that conversation with the public, while driving home this message with enforcement. We will be out in full patrols and if we see you unbelted, we will pull you over.”

Click It or Ticket is an annual enforcement effort supported by federal funding allocated to The Bourbon Police Department from the Traffic Safety division of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. Bourbon Police officers will work overtime to conduct seat belt patrols around the clock. According to ICJI, in 2015, there were 818 fatalities on Indiana roadways. Of those fatalities, 33 percent were unrestrained.

“The more we explain the importance of seat belt use, the more we see drivers and their passengers buckling up,” said ICJI Director Dave Murtaugh. “This campaign is about the importance of wearing your seat belt, and I am thankful for all those involved.”

Indiana law enforcement agencies have been actively involved in the Click It or Ticket campaign for over 20 years. In addition, for 2016, Indiana agencies will join those from across the Eastern half of the United States in a combined “Border to Border” mobilization from 6-10 p.m. May 23. This shared increased blitz will drive home the zero tolerance message, that no matter what state you’re in, driving or riding unbuckled will result in a ticket.

For more information regarding the Click It or Ticket enforcement mobilization campaign, visit: http://www.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/ciot/index.html.