The New Orleans Police Department announced on April 13 that it will join the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission for the “Buckle-Up in Your Truck” campaign, running from April 18 to April 25.
The campaign aims to raise awareness about seatbelt safety, particularly among pickup truck drivers and passengers. Law enforcement agencies will focus on drivers operating vehicles without wearing seatbelts in an effort to reduce injuries and fatalities.
“It truly is a safety double whammy because some of our most vulnerable drivers and passengers are least likely to protect themselves,” Louisiana Highway Safety Commission Executive Director Lisa Freeman said. “Through the Buckle Up in Your Truck campaign, law enforcement officers will be looking for pickup drivers and passengers who aren’t wearing their seat belts, and they will be handing out tickets across the state.”
During this period, officers will take a no-excuses approach to enforcing seat belt laws by issuing citations both day and night. According to information from the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, pickups are twice as likely as other vehicles to roll over during a crash, while their occupants are less likely to use seat belts.
NOPD officers will participate in high-visibility enforcement alongside other law enforcement agencies statewide. The goal is to encourage compliance with seatbelt laws among all motorists but especially those driving or riding in pickup trucks.
“Fewer injuries and fewer deaths are good; even fewer is better, and none is best,” Freeman said. “The best way to protect yourself in a crash is to wear a seat belt.”
