Utah Department of Public Safety

Thanksgiving Click It or Ticket Enforcement

Media Contact:

Marissa Cote, Department of Public Safety

801-793-8025, mvillasenor@utah.gov

How one picture can save a life this holiday season

Click it or Ticket enforcement, November 18 – December 1

WHAT:

To kick off Click it or Ticket, Utah Highway Patrol (UHP) troopers are encouraging Utahns to remind loved ones to buckle up. As part of this effort, troopers visit James E. Moss Elementary to share Alyson and Cortlen Simkin’s story, encouraging students to follow their example.

 

When Alyson Simkins’ husband Michael wouldn’t buckle up, she and her son left a reminder in his car: a photo of them. On the photo was written, “Wear your seat belt for us.” Not long after, Michael Simkins was in a multicar pileup and survived because he was buckled thanks to his family and their photo reminder.

 

November 18 begins the two week increased seat belt enforcement period. During this time UHP joins forces with local police departments and unified police departments and together these organizations will work more than 300 overtime shifts from Saturday, November 18 – Friday, December 1 to stop and educate motorists who aren’t wearing a seat belt. The enforcement period is strategically planned to begin right before the Thanksgiving holiday, a busy, and often deadly, travel weekends. Over the past five years there have been 3,497 crashes and 20 fatalities during the Thanksgiving holiday week.

 

WHEN: Tuesday, November 14, 10:30 a.m. (detailed agenda below)

10:30 a.m. – One on one interview with Simkins family and Major Zesiger

10:40 a.m. – B-roll opportunity as 5th grade class preps “buckle up for me” photos to take home

11:00 a.m. – Car Seat class and checkpoint for parents of elementary students

WHERE: James E. Moss Elementary School, 4399 S 500 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84107

WHO:

• Alyson, Michael and Cortlen Simkins

• Major Mark Zesiger, Utah Highway Patrol

• Representatives from state and local enforcement agencies

 

VISUALS & INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES:

• A fifth grade class making their own “buckle up for me” photos using polaroids

• Enforcement representatives and vehicles

• Simkins family and crashed car photos

• Car seat checkpoint