Hastings Police Department cruiser, (Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today)
HASTINGS — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is working with Law Enforcement Agencies across the country to make sure you stay safe on the roads.
The Hastings Police Department was awarded a grant through the Nebraska Department of Transportation for Officers to work overtime hours conducting traffic enforcement and subsequent seatbelt violation enforcement as part of the “Make it Click” high visibility enforcement mobilization which runs from Nov. 26, 2025 through Nov. 30, 2025.
It’s about saving lives.
During the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in 2023 (6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 22, to 5:59 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 27), there were 309 passenger vehicle occupants killed in traffic crashes across the nation, and 44% (135) were unrestrained.
Not wearing a seat belt proved to be deadly at any time of the day during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in 2023: 47% of those killed in nighttime crashes were unbuckled, and 38% of those killed in daytime crashes also were unbuckled.
Whether you’re driving out of town or just running errands, remember to wear your seatbelt. During this mobilization, Law Enforcement Agencies across the country will be working together to reduce the number of fatalities that occur when vehicle passengers fail to buckle up. Please make sure everyone in your vehicle is buckled before you ever leave your parking spot — and that includes children being in the correct car seats!
For more information about traveling safely, please visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/seat-belts
