Millions of Texans are gearing up for Memorial Day weekend, ready to hit the road for some fun in the sun. But before you rev up your engines, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) wants to remind you to buckle up for safety. The “Click It or Ticket” campaign is back, running until June 1, with billboards popping up across Houston and the Lone Star State to drive the message home.
Leo Flores, spokesperson for TxDOT, emphasized the importance of wearing seatbelts, citing over 1,000 deaths on Texas roads last year that could have been prevented with a simple click. With AAA Texas predicting over three million Texans hitting the highways this holiday weekend, officials are urging caution as the roads get busier. Flores warned, “There’s always the possibility for accidents, but with more people on the roads, there’s an even greater possibility.”
One heartbreaking story driving home the importance of seatbelt safety is that of David Mills from Spring, Texas. His daughter, Kailee, tragically lost her life in a car crash at the age of 16 because she briefly took off her seatbelt to snap a selfie. David now spreads awareness through the Kailee Mills Foundation, using his truck as a rolling billboard with a poignant message: “Buckle up, someone loves you.” The foundation holds events at schools and in the community, aiming to prevent more senseless tragedies on the road. Through their efforts, TxDOT estimates that over 8,200 lives have been saved since the campaign’s inception in 2002. Remember, wearing a seatbelt reduces the risk of death in a crash by 45% for front seat passengers, so buckle up and stay safe out there.
