When the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) discovered that 81.5 percent of those who died in early morning (3 a.m.-4 a.m.) automobile accidents from 2008 to 2012 were not wearing seat belts, it wasted no time in launching a campaign to help reduce the number of fatalities in Illinois auto accidents. That campaign is known as the 2013 Click It or Ticket mobilization, which runs now through Memorial Day weekend. IDOT, along with state police and local law enforcement agencies, will be conducting not only seat belt checks but also roadside safety and drunk driving inspections. Illinois drivers can expect to see the influence of the campaign all across the state, where offenders of seat belt and drunk driving laws will be ticketed or arrested. While the heaviest of checks will be performed during rush hour in the morning and afternoon, as well as the late night hours, motorists should be prepared to stop at any time. Seat Belt Statistics in Auto Accident Cases Due to the high number of automobile accident fatalities that were not wearing seat belts, the bulk of the campaign is aimed at seat belt law violators. From 2008 to 2012, seat belt use declined significantly in the 4 p.m. hour on Illinois roadways. Even more alarming is the dramatic drop in seat belt usage from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. It was during these late night hours that the percentage of fatalities not belted were the highest, ranging from 46.8 percent to 81.5 percent over the course of those nine hours. The Click It or Ticket campaign will work to reduce the number of drivers not wearing a seat belt in order to help save more lives.
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