AAA Texas predicts three million people across the state will travel this Memorial Day weekend. Of those three million, 2.8 million will drive.
The Texas Department of Public Safety has launched its "Click it or Ticket" campaign. For the first few weeks of the summer travel season, DPS and local departments are running increased seat belt enforcement.
"Of course, our partners in law enforcement are an important part of this," says TxDOT's Val Lopez. "It's stepped up enforcement of a law that does a lot of good."
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 90.9% of drivers and passengers in Texas wore seat belts last year. That is lower than the national average of 91.7%, but Lopez says the percentage of people who wear seat belts has increased from 75% 20 years ago.
"The summer season's always busy. We're just trying to get the message out: every time you're in a car, buckle up," he says.
Despite increased use of seat belts, Lopez says about 1,000 people who were not wearing them died in crashes in Texas last year.
"It's especially tragic because it's so easy to avoid," Lopez says. "If people are driving out there, please remember to always buckle up yourself and your passengers."
Across the country, AAA says 37 million people will travel through next Tuesday. That number is 60% higher than last year but still lower than the number of travelers in 2019.
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