Starting this week, Arizona drivers better click it or risk a ticket. The state's Governor's Office of Highway Safety has joined forces with local law enforcement agencies, including the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, to enforce seat belt and child safety seat laws aggressively. It's part of a wider crackdown called the "Buckle Up Arizona...It's the Law" campaign that aims to ramp up the numbers of drivers and passengers strapping in.

Running from May 20 through June 2, this enforcement blitz will see cops out in force, with a zero-tolerance approach that will likely leave many with their pockets lighter. "Everybody who is not wearing a seatbelt that should and is required to will be issued a citation," Director Jesse Torrez said in a statement obtained by AZFamily. Given that crashes continue to be the leading cause of death and injuries on Arizona roads, officials are taking no chances, running in conjunction with the national Click It or Ticket effort.

While Arizona boasts a seat belt compliance rate of 91%, the ultimate goal is to cut down on deadly crashes by 2030. With statistics revealing that seat belts slash injury risk by 50% and child safety seats curb infant fatalities by 71%, you'd think drivers would buckle up for every ride. "Again, it’s the easiest thing to do to save lives is just put your seatbelt on, and you’re saving your own life or the life of somebody else asking to put that seatbelt on in your car," reiterated Torrez.

The Governor's Office of Highway Safety, which provided funding for the campaign, also reminds us that booster seats in particular can reduce serious injuries for the tykes by 45%. While this enforcement wave only lasted two weeks, Torrez stressed in an interview with MCSO the importance of consistent seatbelt usage. After the dust settles and the campaign ends, the office promises to deliver the statistics on their initiatives' success.