Holiday travel and winter driving are starting across North Dakota, and so is a statewide seat belt push. In an Oct. 27 news release, the North Dakota Department of Transportation said law enforcement agencies will run increased patrols from Nov. 1 through Dec. 15 as part of the Click It or Ticket campaign.
Officers will be watching for unbelted drivers and passengers. The campaign’s message is simple: buckle up every seat, every trip, every time.
The Number Behind the Campaign
NDDOT says a seat belt is the single most effective way to protect yourself in a crash, reducing the risk of fatal injury by nearly half. And yet, so far in 2026, 52% of people killed in North Dakota crashes where seat belts were available were not buckled.
Behind that figure are people who didn’t get home, and families who are grieving them.
“A seat belt only works if you wear it,” Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier said in the release. “Make buckling up the first thing you do when you get in a vehicle so it becomes a habit you never have to think twice about.”
Our North Dakota Defensive Driving Point Reduction Course is approved by NDDOT and 100% online, so you can review safe-driving habits like these at your own pace.
Why Winter and Holiday Trips Raise the Stakes
The campaign lands during a stretch when North Dakota driving changes. Trips get longer as people travel to see family. Roads can turn slick, daylight is short, and you may be driving routes you don’t use often.
Routine trips matter too: the quick run to the store or the highway stretch you’ve driven a hundred times. A belt only helps if it’s already on when something goes wrong.
Here’s how to make buckling up automatic this season:
- Buckle before you shift into gear. Make it the first step, as the sheriff suggests, not something you do once you’re rolling.
- Check every seat, front and back. Before you pull out, a quick “everyone buckled?” covers the whole car.
- Wear it right. The lap belt goes low across the hips and the shoulder belt across the chest. Never put it behind your back or under your arm.
- Mind bulky coats. Winter layers can leave slack in a belt. Make sure it’s snug against your body.
Kids Need the Right Seat, Not Just a Belt
NDDOT’s release also urges drivers to secure children in the appropriate car seat. North Dakota’s child restraint law, NDCC § 39-21-41.2, says:
- A child under 8 must be in a child restraint system used according to the manufacturer’s instructions. A child under 8 who is at least 57 inches tall doesn’t need a child restraint but must be correctly buckled in a safety belt.
- Children 8 through 17 must be in an approved child restraint system or correctly buckled in a safety belt.
Under the point schedule in NDCC § 39-06.1-10, failing to have a minor in a child restraint system or seat belt as required carries 1 point on the driver’s record.
If you’re carrying extra kids for holiday gatherings, plan the seating ahead of time. If there aren’t enough proper seats and belts for everyone, someone needs another ride.
More Than a Belt
The release also encourages drivers to follow posted speed limits, drive for road conditions, eliminate distractions and always drive sober. Those habits work together. A belt protects you in a crash; good driving helps you avoid one.
- Slow down for conditions, not just the posted limit, when roads are icy or snow-packed.
- Put the phone away before you start the car.
- Plan a sober ride before holiday celebrations begin.
Last week we wrote about a Cass County crash and why every passenger needs a seat belt, including what North Dakota’s seat belt law requires of drivers.
Points and the Point Reduction Course
According to NDDOT, moving violations can add points to your driving record, and drivers can take an approved course to reduce points.
With our course, you finish online, download your certificate as soon as you pass, and email it to NDDOT. NDDOT takes 3 points off once it receives it. You can do this once in any 12-month period, and no more than 9 points in 3 years. The reduction comes off points already on your record. The course is 4 hours of content at your own pace, you can stop anytime and pick up where you left off, and the final exam has unlimited retakes.
Click It or Ticket is part of North Dakota’s Vision Zero strategy to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries statewide.
The Bottom Line
From Nov. 1 through Dec. 15, officers across North Dakota will be looking for unbelted drivers and passengers. The better reason to buckle up is the one in NDDOT’s numbers: belts save lives. Make it every seat, every trip, every time.
Have points on your North Dakota record? Start the North Dakota point reduction course.
