With the Memorial Day holiday weekend already here, travel is a major part of many celebrations, and state troopers and local law enforcement are preparing reinforcements to watch for any unsafe driving.

“If we give 10 tickets and save two lives then we have been successful,” said Sgt. B.R. Boyd, public affairs officer for the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol. “Be safe and stay focused in a vehicle and make sure you get where you are going.”

Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for Americans age three to 34. The death toll in Mississippi rose to 613 in 2013; this is a 5.3 percent jump from 2012. According to Public Safety Commissioner Albert Santa Cruz, out of the 582 fatalities that were handled by the Highway Patrol in 2013, 302 of them involved either unrestrained drivers or passengers.

Last year in Boyd’s district there were 24 fatalities, and 16 of the victims were not buckled up.

“I know it would have really made a difference if they had been wearing a seatbelt,” said Boyd. He added that people will come up will all kinds of excuses for not wearing them; drowning or burning up in the event of a crash, but he reminds them that they will never be able to save themselves if they have been knocked unconscious because they were unrestrained during an accident.

In 2013, 765,749 people in Mississippi chose not to wear a seatbelt. Even with the state’s strict seatbelt laws and threat of fines, Mississippi is the fourth worst rate of seatbelt use in the nation.

In an effort to battle these staggering numbers, every May the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration re-launches the well-known “Click It or Ticket” campaign. The local highway patrol is in full force this holiday weekend for an enforcement blitz that will drive home the campaign’s message.

The “Click It or Ticket” campaign primarily targets men 18 to 34, who are less likely to wear seatbelts. It is a combination of enforcement and education to raise awareness. Seatbelt laws are a primary enforcement in Mississippi. An officer can pull over a car specifically for a seatbelt violation.

“All law enforcement officials are at a heightened level to enforce seat belt laws no through the Memorial Day holiday which is one of the peak travel times of the year,” said Santa Cruz, in an AP report. “I’m asking all Mississippian to please buckle up.”

State troopers will working call back details throughout the month, meaning two off-duty officers will set up check points or patrol to specifically target unrestrained motorists. During this Memorial Day weekend, officers will also be on the lookout for speeders, drunk drivers and any other infractions.

“I hope it makes a huge difference,” said Boyd.