One of the easiest things motorists can do to protect themselves in a crash is to have their safety belts fastened. That is the message the Florida Highway Patrol is delivering to motorists who defy Florida’s safety belt law and neglect to buckle up. The patrol will join local and national law enforcement officers and highway safety advocates all across the country for the 2011 national Click It or Ticket safety belt enforcement mobilization that runs through June 5. During the mobilization, officers will crack down on motorists who fail to fasten their safety belts.

Florida law requires all drivers and occupants in the front seat of a vehicle to fasten their safety belt. Occupants under the age of 18, regardless of where they sit in a vehicle, also must buckle up. Safety belts have long been proven to save lives and reduce injuries when worn properly during a vehicle crash. Motorists cited for failure to buckle up face a non-moving violation that carries a $30 base fine, plus court costs if convicted.

Florida achieved a record high last year when the safety belt usage rate climbed to reach 87.4 percent, following the May 24 to June 6 Click It or Ticket campaign.

For more details and statistics on the Sunshine State’s 2010 safety belt usage, including county statistics, visit the Florida Department of Transportation’s website at www.dot.state.fl.us/safety.