The national Click It or Ticket Campaign is in full swing ahead of Memorial Day weekend, and police departments in the Valley are joining in on the call for drivers to buckle up.

In 2020, nearly 11,000 unbuckled passengers were killed in crashes in the U.S. That's according to data from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In an effort to reduce that statistic, Valley law enforcement joined Mahoning County Safe Communities for a campaign kickoff Wednesday at the Austintown Chick-fil-A.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol, Mahoning County Sheriff's Office, and the Austintown Police Department handed out information on traffic safety. They made it fun for kids as well, with a prize wheel, temporary tattoos, and a visit from the Chick-fil-A cow.

"Education is huge when it comes to a traffic safety problem," said Lieutenant Eric Brown with the Ohio State Highway Patrol. "Any time we can get out, interact, educate the public on wearing a properly-worn seatbelt, that's a benefit."

If an officer sees a driver or front seat not wearing a seatbelt during a traffic stop, the driver can be cited. Proper usage of seatbelts is also a concern for law enforcement.

"There's a lot of science behind wearing a seatbelt," added Lt. Brown. "I realize that sometimes based on your stature maybe, that the seatbelt might be digging into your neck. There are devices that can alleviate that. But you have to wear a seatbelt properly, and that is over your shoulder."

WFMJ's Director of Community Relations Madonna Chism-Pinkard was also at the event, to share her personal story about how seatbelts can save lives. In 2006, Chism-Pinkard was injured and her father was killed in a crash. Neither were wearing seatbelts.

The Click It or Ticket campaign runs through June 2nd.