This resource corresponds to Day 1.

Adapted from Success Stories: Click It or Ticket, on the Social Marketing Institute Web site at www.social-marketing.org/success/cs-clickit.html.

In 1993, Governor Jim Hunt of North Carolina launched a statewide seatbelt enforcement campaign called the Click It or Ticket Program. In coordination with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and county and local law enforcement agencies, the program set out to increase seatbelt use across the state by publicizing the state's mandatory seatbelt law.

At that time, North Carolina was only one of a handful of states that allowed police to stop and ticket motorists who were not wearing their seatbelts. The Click It or Ticket campaign capitalized on this situation by "selling" the message that seatbelt use was important because it could keep you from being "busted" by the police. This was a departure from the standard, but unsuccessful, message that wearing a seatbelt could save your life.

To publicize the state's seatbelt law and its legal consequences, state officials utilized a variety of media and events before and after each phase of the program. Television and radio spots delivered Public Service Announcements at strategic times to convey the campaign's precautionary seatbelt messages and warn drivers about the potential $25 ticket for not complying with the state's mandatory usage law. Local newspapers published press releases and editorials about the program, as well as program statistics. The office of the Governor's Highway Safety Program generated press coverage by holding special media events featuring prominent politicians and celebrities. The current campaign also uses the Internet to publicize its message and post program results.

Results
An extensive evaluation of the program revealed that when communication and enforcement were combined in a single unified marketing strategy, the results were impressive (e.g., a 14 percent reduction in traffic fatalities). However, when the communication component was withdrawn, seat belt use dropped dramatically. Once the communication component was restored, compliance with the law went back up.