VIDALIA — Vidalia Police Chief Joey Merrill wants to remind motorists to buckle up.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Buckle Up in Your Truck campaign begins today and runs until April 27. Vidalia police will be more carefully watching for seat belt violations during this time, said Lt. Miranda Clifton, Vidalia police spokeswoman.

Clifton said while seat belt use is higher, pickup truck drivers and their occupants do not wear seatbelts as much as occupants in other types of vehicles. This region has the lowest percent that buckles up while in pickup trucks compared to other regions in Louisiana, Clifton said.

Officers will issue tickets to anyone they observe to be in violation of Louisiana’s seat belt law.  Louisiana law states that each person in a vehicle must wear a safety belt properly fastened about his or her body at all times when the vehicle is in motion.

For more information on the Buckle Up in Your Truck or Click it or Ticket programs please visit www.nhtsa.gov.