DES MOINES, Iowa — From May 19 until June 1, state and local law enforcement agencies across the U.S. will be stepping up enforcement in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) annual Click It. Don’t Risk It campaign, a concentrated effort to be on the lookout for motorists who are not wearing seat belts.
The high-visibility enforcement effort coincides with the Memorial Day holiday.
“No matter the type of vehicle you’re traveling in, where you’re seated or what type of road you’re driving on, the best way to protect yourself in a crash is to buckle up,” said Brett Tjepkes, chief of the Iowa Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB). “Unfortunately, many families are suffering because their loved ones did not follow this simple step. If this enforcement effort alerts people to the dangers not buckling up, we’ll consider the mission a success.”
It might seem as if everyone wears a seat belt, but data shows that is not true, Tjepkes said. In 2024 fully 44% of traffic fatalities in Iowa were unbuckled. That translates to 108 lives lost. In a GTSB survey of over 1,450 Iowans, 88% reported always buckling up in the front seat. Only 67% always buckle in the back seat.
If you know a friend or a family member who does not buckle up, please talk to them about changing their habits. Help GTSB and our law enforcement partners spread this lifesaving message before one more friend or family member is killed. Seat belts save lives, and everyone — front seat and back, child and adult — needs to buckle up.
The GTSB works with city, county, state and local organizations to develop and implement strategies to reduce deaths and injuries on Iowa’s roadways using federally funded grants.
