Click It or Ticket Campaign --- May 23--June 5, 2011

In 2009, motor vehicle crashes resulted in approximately 23,000 deaths to passenger vehicle occupants (excluding motorcyclists), and 2.6 million occupants were treated for injuries in emergency departments in the United States. Many motor vehicle accidents occur in the course of employment and are the subject of workers' compensation claims. Although seat belt use in the United States is now estimated at 85%, millions of persons continue to travel unrestrained. Using a seat belt is one of the most effective means of preventing serious injury or death in the event of a crash. Seat belts saved an estimated 12,713 lives in 2009, but almost 4,000 additional lives could have been saved if every occupant had been buckled up.

Click It or Ticket, a national campaign coordinated annually by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to increase the proper use of seat belts, takes place May 23--June 5, 2011. Law enforcement agencies across the nation will participate by conducting intensive, high-visibility enforcement of seat belt laws. Campaign activities will focus on young adult men (aged 18--34 years) and on nighttime travel. Additional information regarding Click It or Ticket activities is available from NHTSA at http://www.nhtsa.gov. Additional information on preventing motor vehicle crash injuries is available from CDC at http://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety.

References
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Traffic safety facts 2009: early edition. Washington, DC: US Department of Transportation; 2010. DOT-HS-811-402. Available at http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pubs/811402ee.pdf . Accessed May 12, 2011.
CDC. WISQARS (Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System). Available at http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars. Accessed May 12, 2011.
Beck LF, West BA. Nonfatal, motor vehicle--occupant injuries (2009) and seat belt use (2008) among adults---United States. MMWR 2001;59:1681--6.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Lives saved in 2009 by restraint use and minimum-drinking-age laws. Washington, DC: US Department of Transportation; 2010. DOT-HS-811-383. Available at http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811383.pdf . Accessed May 12, 2011.

For over 3 decades the Law Offices of Jon L. Gelman  1.973.696.7900  jon@gelmans.com have been representing injured workers and their families who have suffered occupational accidents and illnesses.

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