Lake Charles Law Enforcement Holds “Click It Or Ticket” Checks

The holidays are here! It's Thanksgiving week/weekend and some folks are looking forward to visiting with family and friends or commuting to and from work. Whether you are hitting the road or you have loved ones coming home to visit, no matter where you go...traffic is going to be thick.

Please try and keep this in mind. Set out early if you can, so you don't have to rush, wherever you are going. As we all know, traffic is already bad and unfortunately it's going to get worse. That said, the Calcasieu Parish Sheriffs Dept. (CPSO) and the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission are reminding motorists that they are going to participate in the national "Click It or Ticket" Campaign.

CPSO will be conducting a seatbelt checkpoint at undisclosed locations throughout SWLA on Saturday, November 25. Buckle up y'all, and call an Uber or Lyft if you are going to have a couple of drinks. Deputies are going to be out targeting drivers not wearing a seatbelt, and that includes passengers in the backseat. At the same time look for folks driving under the influence of alcohol and/or narcotics.

Listen, checkpoints aren't meant to ruin our day. They are all about saving lives and reminding drivers to take care, so everyone gets home safely. The CPSO will be enforcing Louisiana law, which mandates all passengers in a vehicle need to be in a seatbelt.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), reports in 2022 Louisiana seatbelt stats were 87.5%, while the national rate was 91.6%. Sheriff Mancuso said Louisiana has to do better,

“I wish we could attain 100% or close to it, so that’s what we’re going to strive for,” Sheriff Mancuso added. “That’s what this campaign is about, is to try to get people to buckle up; bottom line, we want you to buckle up.”

Having a lower status of seat belt users compared to other states means Louisiana drivers are at a higher risk of serious injury and death due to accidents.