Crackdown on seatbelt law begins Memorial Day; fines increased

SAN DIEGO COUNTY - San Diego law enforcement will participate in a statewide crackdown on seatbelt scofflaws called Click It or Ticket starting Monday, May 31, which is Memorial Day.

Failure to buckle up comes with hefty fines this year, and sheriff's Sgt. Peggy Frailey said warnings will not be issued during the Click It or Ticket campaign.

Frailey said fines for first-time adult violators have risen from $132 to $142 this year, and the fine for not securing children under 16 in a car seat or seat belt is $445.

"We will be looking for motorists throughout the area who are not buckling up, day and night," Sheriff Bill Gore said. "It's not just about avoiding a ticket, it's about keeping the ones you care about alive."

Frailey said more than 150 local law enforcement agencies and the California Highway Patrol will take part in next week's seatbelt enforcement focus.

Drivers and passengers who buckle up have a 50 percent better chance of surviving a crash than those who are unbelted, she said.