“Click it or Ticket” patrols will return to Issaquah, Sammamish and elsewhere in King County as law enforcement officers will be out once again searching for not only unbuckled drivers but also distracted drivers. The patrols will be from May 19 to June 1.

Last year during this same time period, officers on extra patrols statewide issued 2,963 seat belt violations amongst the 11,666 motorists who were stopped.

Also last year during this time period, 1,897 cell phone and texting violations were written.

The “Handheld Cell Phone Use” law became a primary law in Washington in June 2010. Prior to that law taking effect, on average, 700 drivers were cited for cell phone use per month statewide. After the law went into effect, the number of motorists cited for cell phone use increased and has stayed consistent at approximately 4,000 per month.

The primary seat belt law took effect in June 2002. Violations initially increased and then the seat belt use rate increased. Officials say high visibility enforcement has proven to change behaviors and is now being applied to distracted driving. Officials add that texting and cell phone usage is exasperating to many motorists and it remains a growing public health and traffic safety issue.

The extra patrols are part of Target Zero, which is designed to end traffic deaths and serious injuries in Washington by 2030. For more information, visit www.targetzero.com. Additional information on the Washington Traffic Safety Commission can be found on the website, www.wtsc.wa.gov.