Published on Sunday, May 20, 2007
in the WINK News

Seatbelts save lives. Wear one or get a ticket.

Lee County - The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a car crash that killed two people.

It happened early this morning in Alva, in northeast Lee County.

Troopers say the victims were not wearing their seat-belts.

The crash happens just one day before the start of the nation-wide, seat-belt campaign: click it or ticket.

Every time she gets behind the wheel of her car, buckling up is the first thing Diana Froling does.

"It'll save your life," she says.

She may be right.

Early this morning in Alva, two people were killed when their car spun out of control and slammed into a tree.

One was thrown from the car, but both victims weren't wearing seat-belts.

Cd's, shards of glass, and parts of the car liter the area where it crashed.

Accidents like this is why Florida Highway Patrol says wearing seat-belts is important.

"We see accidents everyday, where lives could have been saved if they clicked their seat belts and buckled up," said Lt. Greg Bueno of the Highway Patrol

Starting Monday the click it or ticket campaign will be in effect.

For the next two weeks law enforcement across the country will be out in full force.

"We basically shut down all our offices and put all available staff on the roadway," Lt. Bueno said.

They'll be ticketing anyone who isn't buckled up.

"It's for their safety. We want them to get home to their loved ones," he said.

For people like Diana Froling the extra patrol shouldn't be a problem, because she has a very simple rule:

"We don't move unless everyone is buckled in. It doesn't matter if it's adults or kids," she said.

The click it or ticket campaign will last until June 3.

If you're pulled over for some other offense and you're not wearing a seat-belt, the fine is $30 dollars for adults and if children aren't buckled up, the fine is sixty dollars and three points on the drivers license.