The West Virginia Public Service Commission (WV PSC) and other law enforcement officials have announced plans for an increase in targeted enforcement of seat belt usage through the national "Click It or Ticket" program through March 20th.

Law enforcement officers across West Virginia will begin patrolling our roadways and monitoring motorists' usage of their seat belt, which is a primary offense.

The West Virginia Trucking Association (WVTA) has always promoted safety and security on our highways and among our drivers. In fact, the WVTA was instrumental in getting the primary offense seat belt law passed by the WV Legislature in 2013.

Per an official from the WV PSC, seat belt usage increased from approximately 82 percent in 2010 to 89 percent in 2015. In 2014, there were 93 unbuckled West Virginians who died in roadway crashes according to figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Because of our focus on safety, the WVTA has long been a proponent of the "Click It or Ticket" program. During this targeted enforcement period, transportation enforcement officers with the PSC will be patrolling commercial vehicle operators, like trucks and buses, on highways.

The ramp up of patrolling officers for the program, which consist of individuals from state, city and county law enforcement agencies, is paid for by a grant from the Governor's Highway Safety Program.

Please remind your drivers and employees of the importance of always buckling up when heading out on our highways, not just during the "Click It or Ticket" effort.

In addition to targeting seat belt usage, law enforcement officials will also be focusing on child passenger safety belt violations, including safety seat and teenage passenger seat belt use.

The last concentrated "Click It or Ticket" effort in West Virginia was conducted last fall.