The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office and the Hamilton County Traffic Safety Partnership will be increasing patrols across the county through the end of May as part of the national “Click It or Ticket” seatbelt enforcement campaign.
The effort is being coordinated with the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute and is designed to encourage drivers and passengers to wear seatbelts and ensure children are properly restrained in vehicles.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, officers will conduct overtime patrols from now through May 31. Those patrols are funded through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and ICJI’s Comprehensive Highway Injury Reduction Program, commonly known as CHIRP.
Indiana Criminal Justice Institute Executive Director Douglas Huntsinger said seatbelts remain one of the most effective safety measures available to drivers and passengers.
“Buckling up is one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect yourself and your loved ones on the road,” Huntsinger said in a statement. “Seatbelts save lives every day, and every trip should begin with making sure everyone is secured before hitting the road.”
State officials say Indiana has seen a decline in traffic fatalities involving unrestrained vehicle occupants since 2021. Indiana’s statewide seatbelt usage rate reached 94.1 percent in 2025, according to the Annual Seat Belt Usage Survey conducted by the Purdue University Center for Road Safety in partnership with ICJI. That figure is above the national average of 91.2 percent recorded in 2024.
Hamilton County Sheriff Dennis Quakenbush said deputies continue to see crashes where injuries or deaths might have been prevented by seatbelt use.
“Far too often, we respond to crashes where lives could have been saved by one simple decision, wearing a seatbelt,” Quakenbush said. “Buckling up is more than just following the law. It’s about protecting yourself, your family, and everyone counting on you to make it home safely.”
Under Indiana law, drivers and all passengers are required to wear seatbelts. Children under age 8 must be properly secured in a federally approved child safety seat or booster seat. Drivers can also receive citations for unbuckled passengers younger than 16.
Officials are also encouraging parents and caregivers to make sure child safety seats are installed correctly.