DES MOINES, Iowa – The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB) is partnering with law enforcement across Iowa to support the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Click It or Ticket high-visibility enforcement effort. This seatbelt-focused enforcement campaign will run from May 18-31, 2026.

Seatbelts remain the single best defense against serious injury, and while most Iowans take safety seriously, even one unbuckled fatality is too many. In 2025, 121 people who died in Iowa traffic crashes were not wearing a seatbelt. These unrestrained occupants accounted for 47% of all 2025 traffic fatalities, a tragic number that is entirely preventable.

“No matter the type of vehicle you’re traveling in, where you’re seated, or what type of road you’re driving on, the best way to protect yourself in a crash is to buckle up,” says Brett Tjepkes, Iowa GTSB Bureau Chief. “If this enforcement effort helps people to change their habits and start buckling up consistently, we’ll consider the mission a success.”

All it takes is one click and a few seconds to protect yourself and your loved ones every time you get in the car. Make safety a habit by buckling up in every seat, every time.