News Release

ELKHART — With Memorial Day marking the unofficial start of summer travel, The Elkhart County Traffic Safety Partnership is preparing to step up patrols to crack down on lack of seatbelt usage.

From May 17 through May 31, The Elkhart County Traffic Safety Partnership will join police officers across the state to participate in a national campaign to promote safe driving habits, including seat belt usage.

“To kick off the summer travel season, it’s critical to remind all motorists that wearing a seatbelt is not just the law; it’s something that can save your life,” said Douglas Huntsinger, Executive Director for the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. “Our goal is simple — we want everyone to make it home safely. Buckling up is the first step in achieving that goal.”

This high-visibility enforcement campaign is part of a nationwide effort funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration through grants administered by Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.

During the campaign, The Elkhart County Traffic Safety Partnership will take a no-excuses approach to enforcement, issuing citations to anyone not properly restrained.

If the enforcement effort alerts people to the dangers of unrestrained driving, the mission will be considered a success.

Friends and family should remind each other to buckle up when they drive and to consider changing their habits if they do not already buckle their seatbelt.

Indiana continues to see strong compliance with its seat belt laws. ICJI’s latest observational survey found that 93.6% of Indiana drivers wear their seatbelts. While this is encouraging, there is still work to be done to reach the remaining 6.4% of drivers who put themselves at risk.

To reinforce the message, state traffic safety leaders are reminding people why the laws exist in the first place.

“Seat belts are one of the simplest, most effective ways to protect yourself on the road,” said Jim Bryan, Traffic Safety Director for ICJI. “Putting on a seat belt takes just a few seconds but can make all the difference in the event of a crash. If you’re not buckled up, you are taking a dangerous risk.”

Research consistently shows that seat belts can reduce the risk of injury or death in a crash by up to 65%. Without one, people are at a higher risk of being ejected from a vehicle, which can lead to fatal outcomes.

For additional information about seat belt safety, visit on.in.gov/seatbelt.

The Elkhart County Traffic Safety Partnership includes the following agencies from Elkhart County: Elkhart City Police Department, Goshen City Police Department, Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office, Nappanee Police Department, Bristol Police Department and Wakarusa Police Department.