Encouraging seat belt awareness

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department will be aggressively enforcing the state's seat belt and child safety seat laws during the "Click It or Ticket" campaign taking place through Sun., Nov. 30.

The campaign uses heavy enforcement and public education to help reduce deaths and injuries on state highways.

Deputies will be on the lookout for motorists who are not buckled up and for teens and children not riding properly restrained.

Deputies will not accept excuses or give warnings. Tickets will be issued.

Tickets for the first violation range from $80 to $91 for adults and $330 to $401 to children under 16, depending on the county.

Seat belt usage will reduce one's chances of dying in a vehicle crash by half.

Teens and nighttime car occupants lag behind others as far as buckling up is concerned. Deputies will be concentrating on enforcing seat belt usage for these people.

More than 280 law enforcement agencies statewide will be participating in the campaign.