The Albert Lea Police Department and Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office started an enhanced seat belt enforcement campaign on Monday that continues through the end of the month.

Along with more than 300 law enforcement agencies across the state, the effort is part of the statewide Click It or Ticket campaign, coordinated by the Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety. 

According to a press release, there were 1,215 life-changing injuries in 2017 due to unbelted motorists in Minnesota.

In 2017, 32 percent of all motor vehicle deaths involved unbelted occupants, and of those deaths, 76 percent occurred in Greater Minnesota.

“We’ve heard the argument, ‘It should be my choice to buckle up,’” said Albert Lea police Lt. Jeff Strom. “But before you decide not to wear that belt, think of those children who didn’t have the choice to live without their mother or father. Or the spouse who will raise their children on their own. All because someone made the selfish choice to not wear their belt. You can’t choose who else is on the road with you, but you can choose to protect yourself by buckling up.”

An unbelted motorist can crash into a windshield and get thrown into other passengers. Oftentimes, an unbelted occupant is ejected from the vehicle and killed.

Though 92.4 percent of front seat occupants wear their seat belts in Minnesota, according to the 2018 Minnesota Seat Belt Survey, more than 7 percent of motorists continue to risk their lives and the lives of those in the vehicle by failing to buckle up, according to the release.

Parents also need to make sure children are in proper car seats.

The release stated 18 children ages 7 and younger were killed in motor vehicles from 2013-17, and only nine of the victims were known to be properly secured.

Of the 83 children 7 and younger seriously injured in motor vehicles, only 47 percent of the victims were properly secured.

The Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement and education is a component of the state’s Toward Zero Deaths program.