As the summer travel season kicks off this weekend, troopers will be watching to make sure you have your seatbelts on.

What You Need To Know

  • FDOT: 20% of fatalities could be avoided if people used seatbelts

  • FHP is participating in Click It or Ticket campaign

  • Troopers will be looking for seatbelt violators

It comes after an alarming trend in Central Florida.

Florida Department of Transportation District 5 Secretary John Tyler, at a recent MetroPlan Orlando meeting, said so far this year, 20 percent of fatalities from crashes in the area could have prevented if people were just wearing their seatbelts.

“It’s scary because they could have survived if they just buckled their seatbelt,” said Lt. Tara Crescenzi with Florida Highway Patrol.

FHP is a part of this year’s nationwide Click It or Ticket campaign.

They’re hoping to crack down on unrestrained seatbelt violators during the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

“If you’re not wearing your seatbelt, you could be ejected from the vehicle,” she said.

Lt. Crescenzi says overall she’s seeing more drivers and passengers wear seatbelts, but she can still spot violators.

“If you can see the seatbelt in the upper right, then you know they’re not buckled up,” she told us.

There’s no warning given, just a ticket.

The Click it or Ticket campaign continues until June 5.