North Dakota Highway Patrol Lt. Jody Skogen said the highway patrol has participated in various traffic safety campaigns "as long as I can remember" around Memorial Day. The hope is to make people think about safety issues - planning ahead, wearing seat belts and being safe - before the busy summer traffic season gets under way, he said.

This year, city, county and state law enforcement agencies will be participating in the national "Click It or Ticket" mobilization from Monday to May 31. During that time, seat belt and child restraint laws will be strictly enforced. The number of law enforcement agencies participating in this year's Click It or Ticket campaign - 40 - is nearly twice as many as last year, according to the state Department of Transportation.

"It certainly does generate plenty of media and exposure to the public,"he said. "We certainly would like to see the crash stats show a bit of a different trend."

The trend Skogen speaks of is that nearly 75 percent of people killed in motor vehicle crashes most years were not wearing seat belts at the time of the fatal crashes.

In 2008, there were 104 fatalities on North Dakota roadways. Of those, 81 occurred in vehicle crashes, and 59 of the 81 crash victims were not wearing seat belts. The remainder of fatalities include motorcycle, pedestrian and bicycle crashes.

Of the 29 people killed in North Dakota motor vehicle crashes so far in 2009, 20 were not wearing a seat belt. The statistics are similar to this time last year, when 26 people had died by April 30, including 16 who were not wearing seat belts.

"We were actually doing a little bit better last year than we are this year," Skogen said. "It shows that seat belt use certainly could have changed the outcomes, I believe, in many of those instances."

Seat belts are required under North Dakota law. Drivers younger than 18 can be pulled over for not wearing a seat belt, while drivers older than 18 can be cited if pulled over for another reason.

"Nearly eight of every 10 North Dakotans realize the importance of buckling up to drive safely. We continue to reach the rest of our citizens with campaigns addressing the importance of wearing seat belts to save lives," Linda Butts, deputy director of Vehicle and Driver Services at the North Dakota Department of Transportation, said in a statement.

North Dakota Highway Patrol troopers will be assigned to work about 1,200 overtime hours during the two-week period to maintain high visibility on the state's highways. Funding for the overtime is provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration through the North Dakota Department of Transportation.

About 100 sworn officers will be available to take on some of the overtime load, Skogen said.

Special emphasis will be placed on peak travel times, such as Memorial Day weekend. Ten traffic deaths have occurred on North Dakota highways during the last four Memorial holiday periods. Increased traffic usually is expected on the state's highways during the holiday.

"The summer travel season kicks off with the Memorial Day holiday period," Col. Mark Nelson said in a statement. "Troopers will be highly visible and working hard providing quality law enforcement services to the traveling public with the goal of crash prevention."

With lower gas prices than in recent years, Skogen anticipates a lot of travel on the roads.

"I would say there's a good chance, looking at the forecast, that we certainly have the likelihood that the traffic is going to be considerably or noticeably heavier during the holiday weekend,"he said.

Good weather also seems to increase the chances that people will drive under the influence of alcohol, Skogen said.

"Any holiday weekend tends to increase the get togethers, the social events and the opportunities to be around events where alcohol is being consumed," he said.

Law enforcement continue to emphasize the need for increased safety by teenage drivers, Skogen said. In 2008, there were 15 fatal crashes involving teen drivers in North Dakota, which killed 17 people. Two of the crashes involved motorcycles. Of the other 15 people killed, 12 were not wearing seat belts, two were wearing them and one was unknown. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among 15- to 20-year-olds.

"That is an ongoing concern. Obviously, the experience levels for our younger drivers are lower," Skogen said. He said that lack of experience, combined with an increased likelihood of teenagers engaging in riskier driving behaviors, tends to explain why "a good percentage of crashes fall into younger age groups."

Skogen said a little preparation can make for a safe summer.

"Take the time to plan your trip ahead of time," he said. "Be patient. Take the time to buckle up before you begin the trip, and it should be a safe and happy holiday weekend."

(Reach reporter Jenny Michael at 250-8225 or jenny.michael@;bismarcktribune.com.)