Seatbelt enforcement to increase this month

Kansas law enforcement will ramp up seatbelt enforcement the rest of this month as part of a national Click it or Ticket campaign.

The effort, which runs from May 19 to June 1, will coincide with the Memorial Day kickoff of summer vacation season.

In Kansas, law enforcement officers can stop any vehicle simply for a seatbelt violation. At a press conference in Shawnee on Wednesday, a police sergeant there said enforcement will focus on younger motorists, pickup trucks and nighttime motorists — those most likely to fail to buckle up.

According to the Kansas Department of Transportation, Kansans are below the national average in seatbelt use. In 2012, Kansas was 39th in the country in usage rate.