Click it or ticket. That’s the law and starting Monday driversor passengers who choose not to wear a seat belt risk a $25 trafficticket. The choice is yours. Click it or ticket!

Mississippi’s new law comes after several attempts to passlegislation requiring seat belt usage. Opponents have successfullyfought past attempts simply over their discomfort of governmentinterference on personal choice. Personal choice lost out this yearto $34.4 million in federal funding incentives.

Over the next four years, Mississippi will receive $8.4 millioneach year for its passage of seat belt legislation. Funds the statecan use for projects along Mississippi highways that might justmake them better and safer.

According to Mississippi Department of Transportationstatistics, last year 718 people died on state highways. Of thosekilled, 543 were not wearing seat belts – a grim statistic but onethat tells a tale. Wearing seat belts really does save lives.

So click it or ticket.