AAA hosts ‘Click it or Ticket’ event ahead of Memorial Day holiday

CHESTERFIELD, Va. (WWBT) - As Virginia drivers prepare to travel for the Memorial Day weekend, AAA hosts a campaign event that highlights driver safety ahead of the high-traffic holiday.

100 Deadliest Days for teen drivers begins on Memorial Day

The “Click it or Ticket” campaign - which runs through June 5 is an effort to save lives through increased seat belt use.

A AAA survey found Virginia ranks below average when it comes to seat belt use - contributing to the deaths of 334 people on Virginia roads last year.

“These facts gravely highlight the need for increased awareness of seat belt use,” said Acting DMV Commissioner Linda Ford, the Governor’s Highway Safety Representative. “DMV and our safety partners continue to publicize messages about the importance of seat belt use throughout the year, but especially during our annual Click It or Ticket campaign.”

The AAA forecast predicts more than a million Virginians will travel this Memorial Day - despite the record-setting gas prices.

This number of drivers set to hit the road is up nearly five percent from last year and represents more than 40,000 more travelers on the road for the holiday this year.

“Buckling up is among the most important things you can do to protect yourself and others in a vehicle,” said AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesperson Morgan Dean. “Modern cars are loaded with safety features that weren’t available just a few years ago. Those systems work in conjunction with a seat belt. That’s why it’s so important to buckle up, everyone, every time.”

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