The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office – Lake Elsinore Station announced on Apr. 29 that it will participate in the annual Click It or Ticket campaign, which runs from May 18 to 31. During this period, additional officers will patrol local roads to look for drivers and passengers who are not wearing seat belts, including children who are not secured in the proper car seats.
The campaign aims to remind travelers about the importance of using seat belts and child safety seats when visiting friends and family. Law enforcement officials say these measures can reduce injuries and fatalities in vehicle crashes.
Deputy Grisso said, “Our priority is protecting the people in our community. Wearing a seat belt or properly securing children in car seats or a booster seat gives everyone a better chance of surviving a crash. We want every trip – short or long – to end safely, so please buckle up, every time.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 10,484 unrestrained fatalities nationwide in vehicle crashes during 2023. In California alone, there were 780 unrestrained deaths last year—including 24 children—and unrestrained child fatalities increased by more than four percent from the previous year.
California law requires all children under two years old to ride in rear-facing car seats unless they meet certain weight or height criteria. Children under eight must be secured in an appropriate car seat or booster until they reach age requirements for standard seat belts. The Sheriff’s Office encourages parents and caregivers to keep children properly restrained as long as possible and use recommended guidelines such as the “Five-Step Test” before transitioning out of booster seats.
Funding for this program comes from a grant provided by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
