Thanksgiving 2025 Seatbelt Enforcement Campaign

During the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, the Batesville Police Department participated in the annual Click It or Ticket high-visibility seat belt enforcement campaign.  Our officers worked at least 49 hours of overtime, issuing at least 74 citations and warnings for various traffic offenses.  The campaign, which coincided with one of the busiest holiday weekends of the year, was twofold: to combine increased awareness and a zero-tolerance policy on seat belt non-use, and to provide effective communication to drivers on the importance of buckling up in every seating position.

We issue tickets and warnings to remind drivers and passengers that seat belt use isn't a suggestion, it's the law.  To that end, we felt that this year's campaign was successful, and we believe we got people's attention by using increased police presence.  Seat belt violations were not our only target offenses, but all traffic related violations.  Our goal is a safe community with safe drivers.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in 2023 (6 p.m. on Wednesday, November 22, to 5:59 a.m. on Monday, November 27), there were 309 passenger vehicle occupants killed in traffic crashes across the nation, and 44% (135) were unrestrained. Not wearing a seat belt proved to be deadly at any time of the day during the holiday weekend: 47% of those killed in nighttime crashes were unbuckled, and 38% of those killed in daytime crashes also were unbuckled. These deaths represent needless tragedies for families across America and may have been prevented with the simple click of a seat belt.

Seat belts save lives, period. We'll continue working to spread the message about the importance of seat belt safety, over the holidays, and every day.  For more information about traveling safely this Thanksgiving, please visit: www.nhtsa.gov/SeatBelts.