Gary police issued 844 citations and made 65 arrests over 24 days as part of the 2018 Click It or Ticket initiative, a spokeswoman said.
More than 230 Indiana law enforcement agencies joined thousands of departments across the U.S. to enforce seat belt laws, Lt. Dawn Westerfield, Gary police spokeswoman, said in a news release.
Officers worked more than 400 hours of overtime funded by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, she said.
From May 11 to Sunday, Gary police issued 250 seat belt and 23 child seat citations, Westerfield said. Officers also cited 47 people for driving in excess of 20 mph over the speed limit, she said.
“Enforcement of traffic laws intends to prevent the crash, injuries and deaths that impact our community,” Westerfield said. “With the summer travel season fully underway, police urge motorists to buckle up — every trip, every time — and to use a sober driver.”
Indiana has participated in Click It or Ticket for more than 20 years, the release states.
The Purdue University Center for Road Safety found that between 2000 and 2017, seat belt usage has increased from 62 to 92 percent, according to the release.
In 2016, 10,248 unbuckled motorists were killed in crashes across the U.S., the release states.
“Seat belts were estimated to save an additional 14,668 lives,” the release states.
