Annual "Buckle Up Your Truck” Campaign, April 21-27

The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office will partake in the annual “Buckle Up in Your Truck” campaign to crackdown on unrestrained drivers beginning Friday, April 21 through Thursday, April 27.

During this time there will be increased checkpoints on the roads of Calcasieu Parish, specifically set on catching drivers who aren’t wearing a seatbelt in pick-up trucks, as well as anyone not wearing a seatbelt in any automobile.

According to the LHSC, pick-up truck drivers and their passengers have the lowest seat belt usage rate in the state. Pick-up trucks comprise 25% of the vehicles on the road in Louisiana and are two times more likely to rollover than cars in fatal crashes. The LHSC also states that only 72% of pickup truck drivers and 68% of their passengers are wearing seatbelts; compared to 82% of people who drive cars and 85% of their passengers.

“Unfortunately we sometimes see the deadly results that come from drivers and passengers refusing to wear their seatbelt. Wearing a seatbelt is one of the most important steps that could save your life in a crash. Our job is to stop those who are not buckled up, and keep them from becoming a statistic,” said Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso.

Be smart, buckle up!