FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Gallatin County Law Enforcement Executives
Click It or Ticket kicks off summer Law Enforcement in Full Force
Gallatin County, May 01, 2019 – The beginning of the summer travel season is upon us with Memorial Day right around the corner. Your Gallatin County law enforcement is partnering with the Montana Highway Patrol and increasing patrols from May 20 to June 2 as part of the national Click It or Ticket campaign to educate the public on proper seat belt use and crack down on motorists who fail to buckle up.
In Montana, the summer months mark the deadliest time of the year, with 45 percent of all fatal crashes happening between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Almost twice as many fatal crashes take place during the summer than other times of the year. In 2017, of the people who died in vehicle crashes, 58 percent were unrestrained and nearly 65 percent of these people were ejected from the vehicle. Many of these fatalities could have been prevented by wearing a seat belt.
In Gallatin County, Law Enforcement agencies are working together to keep the streets and highways safe for everyone. We believe that “There is no excuse for not wearing a seat belt. Just as we want to go home to our friends and families at the end of the day, we want all Montanans to make it to their destination safely.” As your Law Enforcement leaders, we would like to stress to everyone that, “We respond to too many crashes where serious, life-changing injuries and deaths are shattering families. It can happen to you. Montana has made progress in reducing fatal crashes over the last five years, but we can do better.”
Driving is not an individual activity. You share the road with other motorists and must take precautions for your safety and the safety of your passengers. It is every driver’s responsibility. As you are out enjoying your summer travel, whether across town
or across the state, Click It or Ticket!
This is a Vision Zero message from the Montana Department of Transportation. This and other enforcement and educational campaigns are strategies to reach Vision Zero — zero deaths and zero serious injuries on Montana roadways. For more information about Vision Zero, contact Janet Kenny, Montana Department of Transportation, (406) 444-7471, or jakenny@mt.gov
Captain Mark Wilfore Chief Denis Hengel Chief Frank Parish Montana Highway Patrol Manhattan Police Dept. MSU Police Dept.
Chief E. J. Clark Jr. Sheriff Brian Gootkin Chief Steve Crawford Belgrade Police Dept. Gallatin County Sheriff Bozeman Police Dept.
Chief Scott Newell Chief Bill Dove West Yellowstone Police Dept. Bozeman/Yellowstone Public Safety