Delaware launches ‘Click It or Ticket’ seat belt campaign ahead of Memorial Day

The Click it or Ticket initiative starts days before a heavy travel weekend for Memorial Day Weekend. (Photo by ljubaphoto/iStock Getty Images)

As the busy Memorial Day travel season begins, Delaware officials are urging drivers and passengers to buckle up as part of the national “Click It or Ticket” campaign.

Running from May 19 to June 8, the campaign pairs public education with stepped-up enforcement in an effort to reduce traffic fatalities involving unrestrained occupants.

The Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS), in coordination with state and local law enforcement, is leading the initiative, which will feature high-visibility patrols targeting seat belt violations during both daytime and nighttime hours.

“Although Delaware has a high seatbelt usage rate, the number of unrestrained fatalities is alarming,” said Sharon Bryson, Director of the Office of Highway Safety. “It is important to ensure everyone in the vehicle is properly restrained before driving.”

READ: Surf fishing reservations required starting May 24 at Delaware state parks

Delaware’s seatbelt usage has hovered around 92% in recent years, but unbelted occupants still accounted for 58% of traffic fatalities in 2024, according to state data. Young drivers and passengers, particularly those 19 and under, are especially vulnerable—accounting for 18% of crashes. Adults aged 35 to 44 are also overrepresented in unrestrained crashes.

The campaign also highlights national data. In 2023, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported 10,484 fatalities involving unbelted passengers. Alarmingly, 60% of those killed in back seats were not wearing seat belts, compared to 48% in the front. Nighttime driving proved especially dangerous, with 56% of those killed between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. not buckled up.

Officials stress that air bags alone are not enough and that improper seat belt use—such as wearing the strap under the arm or behind the back—can render safety systems ineffective.

In addition to enforcement, OHS is emphasizing public education. Among their key safety tips:

Lap belts should rest across the hips, not the stomach.
Shoulder belts should go across the chest and never behind the back or under the arm.
Caregivers are urged to model seatbelt use for children and to avoid prematurely advancing children to the next stage of car seat.

More information, including seatbelt safety resources and campaign details, can be found here.

“Whether you are using a seatbelt, booster seat, or five point harness car seat, these restraints are all designed to help save lives and should be used correctly,” Bryson said. “The results of not wearing a seatbelt can be devastating, and buckling up can help prevent serious injury and fatality for you and your passengers.”