"Buckle Up In Your Truck"

The campaign first began in 2004 and according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, pickup drivers and their passengers are among the least likely to buckle up. "I just don`t... I don`t really have a reason why I don`t wear my seatbelt." "Buckle Up In Your Truck" is a campaign to convince pickup drivers to wear their seatbelts. Young men are the least likely to regularly wear their seatbelts. In 2004, nationally 67% of male drivers and 73% of male passengers between the ages of 18-34 who were killed in car accidents were not wearing their safety belts. In Arkansas, only 68% wear their seatbelt and that number drops 10% for pickup drivers. Several pickup owners we spoke to say the campaign is a good idea. "I drive a pickup truck as my personal vehicle and I always buckle up, " says Elkins Mayor Jack Ladyman. "But since I`m mayor, the chief of police said he`d give me a ticket if I didn`t buckle up." Billy Freeman agrees. "I think you need to wear them. I wouldnt want my kid riding in a truck, or me, and it turn over and not be buckled up." But others aren`t too happy about the fine. "I use my seatbelt and I think its a good idea but I dont think there should ever be a law saying you have to," says Phil Sokolowski. Brandon Sing says, "I don`t wear my seatbelt all the time. I dont think you should be required to wear it. If youre not going to be required to wear a helmet on a motorcycle, I dont see why you should be required to wear a seatbelt while youre driving a truck." And Sing says regardless of the new campaign, for him it seems old habits die hard. "I guess I`m just stubborn. I dont have any good reason why... I just dont wear it now. I dont expect my habit to change any just because of this... I really havent paid attention to ‘Click It Or Ticket." Just in our southern states, every year more than 1,000 pickup occupants are killed in accidents. That`s why beginning this Monday local police and sate troopers will be out in full force to make sure you`re buckled up.