Bennington County participating in 'click it or ticket' campaign

BENNINGTON, Vt. (NEWS10) - Bennington County Law Enforcement officers will be participating in the State and National "Click it or Ticket" mobilization which begins on May 23 and ends on June 5 during the day and nighttime hours. 2022 marks the twentieth year Vermont has participated in the campaign.

It is no secret that law enforcement agencies in Vermont and across the country are not as engaged in traffic enforcement as they were before the pandemic. As a result, even though fewer people were on the roads, there was a rise in fatal crashes nationwide. In the State of Vermont, more people died on the road in 2021 than in any other year since 2012.

"It is not unreasonable to think that there is a direct connection between the absence of enforcement on our highways and the nine-year high number of fatalities," said Lieutenant Joel Howard with the Bennington County Sheriff's Office. More than half of the fatal crash victims in 2021, according to Lieutenant Howard, died while not wearing their seatbelts.

The Law Enforcement Officers working this mobilization will be looking for speed and aggressive driving, impaired driving, seatbelt use, cell phone use, and texting violations. Even holding a cell phone in your hand to text or call while sitting at a red light is a violation. "As Law Enforcement Officers, we want you to buckle up, slow down, concentrate on your drive, and enjoy the summer of 2022, all while not being impaired," concluded Lieutenant Howard.