WACO, Texas (FOX 44) – An annual campaign reminding people to buckle up before they hit the road made a stop in the Heart of Texas on Wednesday.

The Texas Department of Transportation launched the “Click It or Ticket” campaign in Waco. The event started at 10:30 a.m. with a press conference at the Suspension Bridge, located at 101 N. University Park Drive.

TxDOT officials, safety advocates and law enforcement officers gathered in front of a backdrop of a pickup truck dangling from seat belt material – which served as a reminder to the public of the importance of buckling up.

This event falls within the statewide enforcement period for the “Click It or Ticket” campaign. From May 22 through June 4, including Memorial Day Weekend, law enforcement from around the state will be working overtime ticketing travelers who are not buckled up.

State law requires that every person in a vehicle should be secured by a seat belt – whether riding in the front or back seat. Fines and court costs for failing to fasten seat belts can add up to $250 or more.

TxDOT says the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that this initiative has saved more than 7,399 lives, prevented more than 120,000 serious injuries and resulted in $28.5 billion in economic savings since its inception in 2002.