Nationwide, police patrols are pulling over motorists who are not wearing their seatbelts

See also: You thought Wednesday was busy? Sunday could be worse

DETROIT (CNN) -- If you're on the road this holiday weekend, don't be too surprised if a police officer pulls you over for failing to do something that could save your life.

Officers from 5,000 law enforcement agencies are out on the nation's highways over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, looking for motorists who aren't wearing their seatbelts.

It's part of a program called Operation ABC, which was started on Memorial Day weekend.

Every state has a law requiring children to be buckled up or in a child safety seat. But the U.S. Department of Transportation says half of the children killed in car crashes each year were not restrained at all.

"We know that highly publicized enforcement works. The last Operation ABC mobilization convinced an estimated six million people to buckle up," said Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater.

Officials are espeically concerned with adults not properly restraining children in the car

That's a start. But Michigan State Trooper Corie Hebner said he still meets with mixed responses to his warnings about buckling up.

"I've had people break down in tears and say, 'Oh my God, I'll never do that again.' I've also had people that say, 'I don't care if I wear my seatbelt,'" he said.

Operation ABC organizers say the most important challenge is to convince motorists to properly restrain their children.

Every state in the nation has a law requiring children to be buckled up or in a child safety seat. But the U.S. Department of Transportation says half of the children killed in car crashes each year were not restrained at all.

Keeping children properly restrained would make a difference.

"We know that if a child is involved in a car crash and they're properly belted in, the likelihood of them being injured is cut by at least 50 percent," said Bob Lange, a spokesman for General Motors.

Operation ABC will be in high gear throughout the holiday weekend, buckling down on motorists who refuse to buckle up.

CNN correspondent Ed Garsten contributed to this report.