The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office is partnering up with the Lousiana Highway Safety Commision to partake in the annual “Buckle Up in Your Truck” campaign to crack down on unrestrained drivers in our parish beginning Friday, April 20 through Thursday, April 26.

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 type of automobile. There will also be a seatbelt checkpoint on Thursday, April 26, at an undisclosed location within the parish.

“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.

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 27% 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 82% of pickup truck drivers and 86% of their passengers are wearing seatbelts; compared to 89% of people who drive cars and 88% of their passengers."

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