MIDLAND, Texas — TxDOT kicked off the Click It Or Ticket Campaign on Thursday in Midland. It is the longest-running campaign for TxDOT, 22 years, for road safety with seatbelts.
1,183 people died in Texas in 2023 because they weren't wearing a seatbelt.
On Thursday, first responders were among several to speak on the constant need for Texans to buckle up.
"One thing we never see is someone who was worse off for wearing a seatbelt," said Michael Cota, Midland Fire Department assistant chief.
90% of Texans follow the law. The other 10% are putting themselves at risk.
Midland Fire Department Chief Michael Cota said people are putting their family and friends at a different kind of risk.
"In my work, we see not only the immediate victims of these crashes but also their worried and grieving friends and family – people who are suddenly facing a lifetime without a loved one or perhaps a lifetime with a loved one who will need years of care and rehabilitation all because they didn't spare the few seconds it takes to click their seatbelt," said Cota.