Sarasota authorities warn: Click it or risk $116 ticket

The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office is participating in the National Click It or Ticket Enforcement Campaign in an effort to save lives and remind motorists Florida law requires them to buckle up.

From May 23 through June 5, law enforcement agencies throughout the United States are intensifying efforts to enforce seatbelt laws. Failing to wear seatbelts, a primary violation, will cost drivers $116.

In Florida, all motorists are required to buckle up when riding in the front seat, and passengers under the age of 18 must use proper seat restraints regardless of where seated in the vehicle.

The number of traffic crashes in Sarasota County is up in 2016 compared with this time last year. There have been 22 traffic fatalities through the end of April, also an increase over 2015.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, younger drivers are the most likely to be unbuckled in a fatal crash. NHTSA data also shows men are more likely to be unbuckled than females in a fatal crash.

This story was originally published May 24, 2016 at 6:31 PM with the headline "Sarasota authorities warn: Click it or risk $116 ticket."