(Editorial - Graphic Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

Most sensible West Virginians have made it such a habit to buckle their seat belts when they get into a vehicle that they don’t even think about leaving it off. Still, there are some who fail to understand what the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration calls “the potentially fatal consequences of not wearing a seat belt.”

Those will be the targets of a statewide seat belt enforcement campaign that begins today, according to the Governor’s Highway Safety Program. The Click It or Ticket initiative runs through March 23.

Sure, those who continue to ignore common sense and the law could face a fine for failing to buckle up. But there are much worse possibilities. According to state data, 40% of passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in 2023 were not buckled up.

“During this mobilization, law enforcement officers across West Virginia will be out in full force. They will be strictly ticketing drivers who are unbuckled or who are transporting children not properly restrained in car seats,” said Jack McNeely, director of the program.

Don’t rely on airbags or your own skill to keep you safe on the road. As the NHTSA points out, the force of an air bag can injure or even kill a person if they are not buckled in. Wearing a seat belt also keeps a person from being ejected from a vehicle, which very often proves to be fatal.

Nationwide, seat belt use was at approximately 91.2% in 2024. Seat belt use saves thousands of lives every year.

While law enforcement officers in West Virginia might be stepping up their visibility over the next couple of weeks, we shouldn’t need the reminder. Whether you are driving or a passenger, buckle up every time you get into a vehicle. It could save lives.