‘Click or Ticket It’ campaign to start

HONOLULU — As Memorial Day approaches, the state Department of Transportation and its traffic-safety partners are reminding Hawaii drivers and passengers of the importance of wearing seat belts through the annual Click It or Ticket campaign.

This year’s Click It or Ticket enforcement mobilization will run from Monday, May 20 through Sunday, June 2. During the mobilization, all four county police departments will conduct increased enforcement of Hawaii’s seat-belt laws.

“Seat belts are essential for safe driving and riding,” said DOT Director Jade Butay. “We want to remind everyone that buckling up every trip, every time, might save their lives.”

Kauai police have given out 120 seat-belt citations and 11 child-restraint violations this year through April 30.

In 2017, some 21 of the 60 of motor-vehicle occupants who died in Hawaii were unrestrained. Records also show the number of unrestrained motor vehicle occupant fatalities increased at night. The DOT has issued federal grants to the four county police departments for overtime enforcement of Hawaii’s seat-belt and child-restraint laws.

During federal fiscal year 2018, the four county police departments issued 12,051 citations for failure to use a seat belt and 1,160 citations for failure to use child restraints.

Hawaii’s universal seat-belt law requires that all front- and back-seat motor vehicle occupants buckle up.

Adults and children must use their seat belts and child passenger restraints at all times. The fine for unrestrained occupants on Oahu, Hawaii and Maui is $102, and the fine on Kauai is $112.

Drivers will receive one citation for every unrestrained occupant in the vehicle.

Violators convicted of the child-passenger-restraint law are required to attend a four-hour class and be assessed a fine between $100 and $500, depending on the number of convictions.

Hawaii’s child-passenger-restraint law requires children under 4 years of age to ride in a child-safety seat. The law also requires children ages 4 to 7 to ride in a child restraint or booster seat.