Drivers in Ione, be forewarned- police are on the lookout for seatbelt law violators. The Ione Police Department has just announced it will be aggressively enforcing the state’s occupant protection laws as part of California’s 2008 Click It or Ticket mobilization, May 12 through June 1. California’s primary seat belt law requires that every passenger in the car, including the driver, must wear a seat belt at all times. Motor vehicle injuries are the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, killing 40,000 Americans and disabling 1,800,000 each year. A wide range of study evidence has concluded that wearing a seat belt decreases the fatality rate. According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, Click It or Ticket is the most successful seat belt enforcement campaign ever, helping create the highest national seat belt usage rate of 82 percent. The fine for a seat belt violation costs between 80 and 91 dollars, and over 350 dollars for failing to properly restrain a child under 16. If the parent is not in the car, the driver gets the ticket. According to Ione Police Chief Michael Johnson, officers will be on the lookout for those who are not buckled up and for teens and children not wearing proper belts and restraints. This will be a zero tolerance policy and may mean extra hours for officers. “Click It or Ticket” is a cooperative effort among the State’s traffic safety-related departments. Funding for officer overtime to support California's Click It or Ticket campaign was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.