Click It or Ticket

The annual “Click It or Ticket” campaign reminds Texans to buckle up day and night, front seat or back, every time they get in a vehicle. Currently, 90% of Texans buckle up, yet too many crashes turn deadly because someone wasn't wearing a seat belt. In 2024, 1,069 unbuckled drivers and passengers were killed on Texas roadways.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that the Click It or Ticket initiative in Texas has saved more than 8,200 lives, prevented 148,000 serious injuries, and resulted in more than $33 billion in economic savings since its inception 23 years ago.

Wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of dying in a crash by 45% for people in the front seat of passenger cars. For those in pickups, seat belts reduce that risk by 60%. Your seat belt is designed to keep you from being thrown into the dashboard or windshield—or even onto the road. An airbag can be a big lifesaver. But without a seat belt, it can be ineffective and even dangerous. In a crash, a seat belt ensures you’re not thrown into a fast-opening airbag—a force that could injure or kill you. You may think your airbag is going to protect you, but it’s designed to work with seat belts, not to replace them.

In Texas, the law requires everyone in a vehicle to buckle up or face fines and court costs of up to $200. Children younger than 8 years 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 up to $250, plus court costs.