North Carolina Click It or Ticket campaign

North Carolina’s Memorial Day “Click It or Ticket” campaign is now underway, with state and local law-enforcement agencies increasing seat-belt enforcement through May 31. The North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program said the campaign began Monday, May 18, ahead of the holiday travel period. WLOS reported officers will add patrols to encourage belt use, and state materials describe the effort as a high-visibility enforcement push tied to Memorial Day travel. (wlos.com) The campaign centers on North Carolina’s seat-belt law and the penalties for violating it. (wlos.com) The North Carolina Department of Transportation says violators can face a $180 fine, or $266 if a passenger younger than 16 is not properly restrained. NCDOT also says the state’s “Click It or Ticket” program was the first in the nation and became the model used by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (goldsborodailynews.com) ### When did the North Carolina campaign start, and how long does it last? Monday, May 18, was the start date for the 2026 Memorial Day enforcement campaign in North Carolina, according to state and local reports. The Governor’s Highway Safety Program said the effort runs through May 31. Federal traffic-safety marketing materials list the 2026 enforcement window for “Click It or Ticket” as May 18 through May 31. (wlos.com) May 31 is the date drivers should expect the added enforcement to continue unless agencies announce changes. Local coverage in Asheville and elsewhere said the campaign is timed to the heavier Memorial Day travel period, when more drivers are on the road. (wlos.com) ### What will drivers actually see on the road? WLOS reported that North Carolina law enforcement is stepping up patrols as part of the campaign. The state campaign combines public-awareness messaging with increased enforcement aimed at seat-belt compliance, according to the Governor’s Highway Safety Program and local coverage. High-visibility enforcement is a core part of the national “Click It or Ticket” model. (goldsborodailynews.com) Federal campaign materials say the program is designed to pair seat-belt messaging with a more visible police presence during the enforcement period. ### What numbers are North Carolina officials using to make the case? North Carolina officials said more than 460 people were killed in 2024 and 1,027 were seriously injured in crashes because they were not wearing seat belts or child safety seats. (wlos.com) Those figures were cited by NCDOT in local coverage of the campaign. Mark Ezzell, director of the Governor’s Highway Safety Program, said wearing a seat belt remains one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect people in a crash. (wlos.com) ABC11 reported that North Carolina officials have also emphasized the state’s long history with the campaign, saying the program began in North Carolina before being adopted nationally. (trafficsafetymarketing.gov) ### What does North Carolina law require? North Carolina law requires drivers, front-seat passengers and back-seat passengers age 16 and older to wear seat belts, according to NCDOT’s campaign page and local station reports. For younger passengers, restraint rules carry a higher penalty when they are not properly secured. The state campaign website says more than 11,900 people in North Carolina have died since 1993 because they did not buckle up. (wlos.com) That figure appears on NCDOT’s “Click It or Ticket” page, which the department uses to explain the enforcement program and the fines attached to violations. ### Where can drivers check the official campaign details? NCDOT’s “Click It or Ticket” page and the North Carolina campaign website list the state’s rules, penalties and campaign information. (goldsborodailynews.com) Federal traffic-safety materials also list the 2026 enforcement dates as May 18 through May 31. Those pages remain the main public references as Memorial Day travel begins and North Carolina agencies continue patrols through the end of the month. (ncdot.gov)