Click It or Ticket: Port St. Lucie police ticket unbuckled drivers during holiday campaign

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - John Fazio has been a Port St. Lucie Police officer for almost eight years. When it comes to seat belts, he says heard every excuse. He's pulled over at least 1,000 drivers whom he says weren't wearing safety belts.

"Said he was just leaving the gas station. Forgot to put it on," Fazio said one driver told him Thursday afternoon. The seat belt-related traffic stop was one of the 21 he performed today.

Going into the holidays,  Fazio and his colleagues are going after drivers who aren’t buckling up.

It's part of a national Click It or Ticket campaign.

"If you feel that burden of having that ticket issued to you, then next time you get in the car, you will buckle up, and you will comply. And hopefully I can save your life," said Fazio.

Port St. Lucie Police officers have issued nearly 200 seat belt citations in the past three days.

Fazio recognized one unbuckled driver he pulled over this afternoon.

"Actually, this is the second time I've stopped this person for not wearing their seat belt," Fazio said.

Same excuse this time around, Fazio says; the driver just doesn't feel like wearing it.

"Basically that we're picking on him and that we have nothing better to do," Fazio recalled the driver mentioning.

Click It or Ticket runs through November 25 in Port St. Lucie. If you're caught not buckled up, you could be ticketed more than $100.