Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety have launched the state’s annual “Click It or Ticket” campaign, with police departments across the state, including the Lakewood Police Department and the Howell Township Police Department, stepping up enforcement efforts aimed at increasing seat belt use and reducing traffic fatalities ahead of the busy summer travel season.

From May 18 through May 31, law enforcement agencies across New Jersey will conduct increased patrols focused on seat belt enforcement, child passenger safety compliance, speeding, and distracted driving violations. The campaign coincides with the nationwide “Click It or Ticket” initiative and overlaps with the Memorial Day holiday weekend, one of the busiest travel periods of the year.

As part of the effort, the Division of Highway Traffic Safety awarded $774,760 in grant funding to 113 law enforcement agencies statewide. Lakewood and Howell each received $7,000 grants to support seat belt enforcement and public education activities.

Under New Jersey law, drivers and passengers are required to wear seat belts, while drivers are also responsible for ensuring passengers under age 18 are properly restrained. Children younger than 8 and shorter than 57 inches must be secured in the appropriate child safety seat or booster seat based on their age, height, and weight.

According to state officials, front-seat seat belt use in New Jersey climbed to nearly 95 percent following last year’s campaign, about four percentage points higher than the national average. However, officials said back-seat passengers continue to ride unrestrained at concerning rates.

State data shows that 135 people killed in New Jersey crashes in 2024 were not wearing seat belts, accounting for 43 percent of all vehicle occupant fatalities. Among those unrestrained deaths, one in four victims were between the ages of 21 and 30.

Officials said last year’s enforcement campaign resulted in more than 5,300 seat belt summonses statewide, along with thousands of speeding and cell phone violations.

The Division of Highway Traffic Safety said it will continue funding additional summer enforcement campaigns targeting speeding, impaired driving, and violations of New Jersey’s Move Over law.