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‘Click it or Ticket’ could literally be a life and death matter

Just about everyone who has ever gotten a traffic ticket has felt – at least for a little while – that surely, there was something better that the police could be doing with their time than picking on little ol’ you.

Well, sometimes – just like when your parents did it and many of you do to your own kids – a reprimand and punishment is for your own good. It can make clear that certain types of risky behavior and poor decision making will not be tolerated.

A good example of this is the “Click it or Ticket” campaign that law enforcement agencies all over the country, including here in our own region, have embarked upon to strictly enforce all seat belt laws.

Countless studies show how much of a difference wearing a seat belt can make – even in a low-speed crash.

Often, what determines whether someone survives a collision is whether that person was properly wearing his or her seat belt when it happened.

During the holidays, police will be on the lookout for anyone who is not wearing a seat belt who should be and will issue anyone who falls into that category a citation.

Being a little lighter in the pocket, especially during the upcoming holiday shopping season, is an effective and fitting punishment for those who choose not to exercise common sense by wearing a seat belt.

Pennsylvania law says that anyone driving or riding as a front-seat passenger must wear a seat belt. It also says that any child younger than 18 years old must wear an age-appropriate restraint (which for many younger, smaller children includes car seats) when riding anywhere in the vehicle.

But the reality is that the only smart thing to do is for everyone to be properly restrained any time they are going anywhere in the car – even on just a short trip.

We applaud the law enforcement personnel who are out making sure people are doing the right thing as they travel for the holidays. We just hope you’re among those being safe.

Buckle up every time.

It saves lives.

You never know when it could save yours.

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