ARIZONA — Police departments across the Valley are stepping up seat belt enforcement starting Monday, May 19, as part of the nationwide “Click It or Ticket” campaign. The initiative, funded through grants from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, aims to increase seat belt use and reduce traffic-related fatalities.
The grant support allows departments to deploy more patrols and cover overtime costs for officers focusing on seat belt enforcement.
“They’ll be looking for people who are not wearing their seat belts,” said Lieutenant Jeff Carrion of the Goodyear Police Traffic Unit.
Goodyear Police is among the many local agencies taking part in the effort. However, Arizona’s seat belt laws are more lenient than many other states. In Arizona, seat belt violations are considered secondary, meaning officers can only cite a driver for not wearing a seat belt if they’re pulled over for another violation.
“Which means officers don’t specifically pull you over for that; it will be another violation they pull you over for, and they see that violation at the same time,” Carrion explained.
In Arizona, seat belts are mandatory for front-seat passengers, but back-seat passengers aged 16 or older are not legally required to buckle up. Additionally, passengers over 16 are allowed to ride in the bed of a truck.
These looser regulations have led to Arizona receiving a “caution” rating in the 2025 Roadmap to Safety Report by the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.
“Unfortunately Arizona’s overall fatality numbers are going up at a time when nationally they’re decreasing slightly,” said Cathy Chase, President of the safety organization.
According to ADOT’s 2023 crash data, passengers not wearing seat belts are 34 times more likely to die in a crash. Chase said Arizona’s weak enforcement sends the wrong message.
“To people in Arizona, it’s saying, it’s not that important to wear a seatbelt; you should, but you kind of don’t have to,” Chase added.
With over 300 crashes reported daily across the state, police say they regularly witness the tragic consequences of people not buckling up.
“It’s a bad situation when we go to a collision and there’s injuries involved,” Carrion said.
Regardless of the law, officers stress that wearing a seat belt is one of the easiest and most effective ways to stay safe on the road.
“The first step is to buckle up. Before you even move the car,” Carrion urged.
The Click It or Ticket enforcement effort runs through June 1, with law enforcement agencies focused on encouraging more drivers and passengers to make seat belt use a daily habit.
For more about road safety laws and enforcement updates, visit the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.
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