Trump’s Transportation Department Debuts “Click It or Ticket” Campaign Ahead of Memorial Day Weekend, Summer Travel

The U.S Transportation Department’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today announced its Click It or Ticket campaign urging Americans to buckle up ahead of Memorial Day and the summer travel season. 

From May 11-31, state and local law enforcement will ramp up patrols to ensure every passenger and driver is buckled on roads across America. Unbuckled seatbelts accounted for a death in a passenger vehicle every 54 minutes in 2024.

“Buckling up only takes a second, and that second could be the difference between life or death in a crash,” said NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison. “We’re teaming up with law enforcement agencies nationwide to remind everyone to Click It or Ticket. Enforcing state and local seat belt laws will save countless lives.” 

Additional data from 2024 showed: 

• 59% of young adults (18–34) killed in passenger vehicles were unbuckled—among the highest rates of any age group 
• Unbuckled men died more often than women in passenger vehicles (53% vs. 40%) 
• More pickup truck occupants killed in a crash were unbuckled as compared to passengers (59% vs. 47%).  
• While 47% of front-seat fatalities involved unbelted occupants, that number jumps to 58% for those in the back seat. 

Additional Information: 

Administrator Morrison kicked off the campaign this morning with a roundtable discussion at USDOT headquarters, bringing together law enforcement, emergency medical services, and a crash survivor to highlight how one split-second decision can change a life forever.

Arapahoe County, Colorado, Deputy Sheriff Dennis Dempsey and Stafford County, Virginia, Fire and Rescue Assistant Chief of Operations Command Brian Frankel spoke about responding to crashes where people have lost their lives due to not buckling up. Kennedy Littledike Bingham of Idaho shared how she lost her leg in a crash where she was unbuckled and ejected from the vehicle.

This year’s campaign features new English and Spanish TV ads. For information on seat belt safety, visit NHTSA.gov/SeatBelts