North Carolina steps up Memorial Day enforcement

North Carolina law enforcement agencies have stepped up seat-belt enforcement ahead of Memorial Day travel, with the state’s Governor’s Highway Safety Program launching its annual “Click It or Ticket” campaign on May 18. The campaign runs through May 31 and pairs public-awareness messaging with increased patrols focused on restraint-law compliance, according to state officials. The push comes as AAA projects 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home over the holiday period from May 21 through May 25, including 39.1 million by car. State and local officers are expected to concentrate on highways and local roads during one of the busiest travel stretches of the year. ### When does the North Carolina crackdown start and how long does it last? The North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program said the 2026 Memorial Day campaign officially began on May 18 and will continue through May 31. The agency said the effort includes increased law-enforcement patrols statewide aimed at getting drivers and passengers to wear seat belts on every trip. (goldsborodailynews.com) May 18 was the date state officials publicized the campaign before the heaviest holiday travel days. Local reporting on the launch said motorists should expect a larger police presence over Memorial Day weekend as agencies prepare for heavier traffic. ### What will officers actually be looking for on the road? North Carolina’s “Click It or Ticket” program is built around enforcement and education, with agencies increasing patrols, assigning more officers to targeted areas and setting up checking stations, according to the Department of Transportation. (goldsborodailynews.com) The state says the campaign is its primary seat-belt and child-safety-seat initiative. Throughout the campaign, officials said motorists can expect enforcement of seat-belt laws on highways and local roads across the state. State messaging tied the operation specifically to seat-belt compliance and to reducing traffic deaths and serious injuries during the holiday travel period. ### What are the penalties if a driver or passenger is not buckled up? (ncdot.gov) The North Carolina Department of Transportation says violators of the state’s seat-belt law face a $180 fine. The fine rises to $266 if a passenger under age 16 is not properly restrained, according to the department’s campaign page. North Carolina says its “Click It or Ticket” campaign was the first in the nation and later became a model used by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (goldsborodailynews.com) The department also says more than 11,900 people in the state have died since 1993 because they were not buckled up. ### What numbers are state officials using to justify 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 yourself in a crash.” He said taking a few seconds to buckle up can save lives. (ncdot.gov) During the 2025 Memorial Day enforcement campaign, officers issued 4,762 citations to drivers and passengers who were not properly restrained, according to the state-backed release carried by local outlets. (ncdot.gov) In 2024, more than 460 people were killed and another 1,027 were seriously injured in crashes in which seat belts or child safety seats were not being used, officials said. (goldsborodailynews.com) ### Why is Memorial Day weekend a focus for this campaign? AAA said 45 million Americans are expected to travel over Memorial Day weekend this year, up slightly from 44.8 million in 2025. The travel group said 39.1 million people are expected to drive, making cars the dominant mode of holiday travel. AAA said the forecast covers Thursday, May 21, through Monday, May 25. The group also said more than 350,000 roadside-assistance calls were logged over last year’s Memorial Day weekend for problems including dead batteries, flat tires and empty fuel tanks. (goldsborodailynews.com) ### What should drivers expect next? May 22 through May 25 are the core holiday travel dates that North Carolina agencies are preparing for, even though the state campaign itself runs through May 31. (midstates.aaa.com) Drivers can expect continued patrols on interstates and local roads, while the Governor’s Highway Safety Program keeps the Memorial Day enforcement wave in place through the end of the month. (goldsborodailynews.com)