News Buckling Down On Those Not Buckled Up—Day and Night Posted 21 May 2009 During the May 18-31, 2009 National Click It or Ticket campaign, Iowa law enforcement officers will take the fight to the night in an attempt to save lives.  Additional officers will be working the road, making a concerted effort to ticket unbelted vehicle occupants around the clock—night and day. In Iowa there were 412 motor vehicle fatalities in 2008 and of those, 139 were not wearing their seat belts.  Additionally, fifty percent of the crashes that resulted in death occurred at night when only 12 percent of the motoring public was on the roadway.  However data indicates that 12 percent is a high risk population.  Nighttime drivers are far more likely to speed, drink and drive unbelted. Nationwide in 2007, 14,464 passenger vehicle occupants died in highway crashes during evening and night-time hours (6:00 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.).  Sixty-three percent of those killed (8,319) were not wearing their seat belts.  By contrast, during daylight hours that number fell to 45 percent (5,917). Eugene T. Meyer, Commissioner for the Iowa Department of Public Safety stated, “Regular seat belt use is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes.  So unless you want to risk a ticket or worse, your life, please remember to buckle up night and day.  Don’t forget, Click It or Ticket isn’t just a campaign slogan, it’s a promise!” The addition of officers on Iowa’s roads is made possible through the special Traffic Enforcement Program (sTEP) and the Combined Accident Reduction Effort (CARE).  sTEP is a program in which local, county and state agencies combine efforts to increase enforcement in all jurisdictions.  sTEP will run May 18-31, 2009.  CARE is a nation-wide program tying together state police agencies, like the Iowa State Patrol, to enforce traffic laws on major interstates across the country.  CARE runs May 22-25, 2009.</