TxDOT's "Click It or Ticket" launch campaign took place on Tuesday in Austin, against a backdrop of 929 pairs of “ghost shoes,” each representing an unbuckled life lost across the state in 2017.
The parents of a teen who was killed in a car accident are urging Texans to buckle up.
Kailee Mills was traveling with three friends to a Halloween party when the car she was riding in went out of control and flipped just 400 yards from her home in 2017.
Kailee, the only one not wearing a seat belt, was thrown from the car and killed.
Kailee’s parents of Spring, Texas, were devastated.
“Last year, more than 900 people killed in traffic crashes were not buckled up, leaving countless families, friends, and communities to deal with a tragic loss. Many of these deaths were preventable, but seat belts only work if you use them,” Texas Department of Transportation Executive Director James Bass said.
Mills parents started working to build awareness about the importance of always using a seat belt. Now they’re joining with TxDOT to launch the state’s annual “Click It or Ticket” campaign in the hope they can help other families avoid what they’ve experienced.
Wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of dying in a crash by 45 percent. That number jumps to 60 percent for pickup trucks, according to TxDOT.
Texas law requires everyone in a vehicle to be properly buckled up or face fines and court costs up to $200.
Children younger than 8 must be in a child safety seat or booster seat unless they’re taller than 4 feet 9 inches. If they aren’t properly restrained, the driver faces fines of up to $250, plus court costs.
To learn more about the "Click It or Ticket" campaign click here.
Copyright 2018 KXXV. All rights reserved.
