Community

Seat belt enforcement blitz is this month

From now through Feb. 17, the Lane County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) will participate in the Click it or Ticket campaign focused on seat belt use, child restraints, speed and distracted driving.
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading nationwide cause of death for children ages one through 12 years old. In 2016, 1,992 children under twelve were injured in Oregon traffic crashes, 10 percent were reported not using a child restraint system.
It is estimated that car seats may increase crash survival by 71 percent for infants under one year old and by up to 59 percent for toddlers aged one to four. Booster seats may reduce the chance of nonfatal injury among four to eight year olds by 45 percent compared to safety belts used alone.
In 2017, an Oregon law was passed requiring children to ride in a rear-facing safety seat until they are at least two years old. A child over the age of two must continue to ride in a car seat with harness or in a booster until they reach age eight or 4-foot 9-inches in height and the adult belt fits them correctly.
Grant funding will provide additional overtime for seatbelt enforcement saturation patrols throughout the year for holidays and local Lane County special events. This is in conjunction with the nation-wide effort sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. These patrols are funded solely through grant money provided through the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association and Oregon Department of Transportation.

Instagram

 

View this profile on Instagram

 

The Chronicle (@thechronicle1909) • Instagram photos and videos