NY State Police clamp down on seat belts

PHOTOGRAPHER: The Associated Press

Traffic on Interstate 15, in Salt Lake City in 2014.

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A clampdown on seat belt use is underway across New York state.

State police and local authorities are joining forces to make sure travelers are buckled as the holiday weekend approaches. The high visibility enforcement concludes at the end of the month and includes Troop T, which patrols the New York State Thruway.

If a trooper spots a driver or front seat passenger without a seat belt on in a car, or a child improperly restrained, a ticket will be issued.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, more than 9,500 people killed in passenger vehicle accidents in 2013 were not wearing their seat belts when the crashes occurred. Officials say unbelted fatalities are more prevalent at night, with 59 percent of victims dying after 6 p.m.