EUGENE, Ore. -- Law enforcement agencies including the Eugene Police Department, Lane County Sheriff’s Office, Benton County Sheriff’s Office and others will be policing seat belt usage more tightly for the next few weeks as part of a national program.
As part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s national “Click It or Ticket” safety campaign, law enforcement agencies across Oregon are reminding drivers about the benefits of wearing seat belts and using proper child safety restraints. Campaign organizers say law enforcement will coordinate highly visible seat belt enforcement between January 30 and February 12. The LCSO said this campaign will be funded by federal grants.
“Modern cars contain a lot of advanced occupant protection features, including air bags and crush zones,” said Sergeant Scott Dillon of the EPD. “For those features to work effectively, correct seat belt and child safety seat usage is a must. And it’s not just about your personal safety – unrestrained vehicle occupants can injure others in the vehicle in the event of a crash. Proper use of occupant restraint systems is one of the best ways to maximize your chances of walking away from a crash.”
According to the NHTSA, in 2019, 10% of the more than 1,600 children under 12 that were injured in crashes in Oregon were not using a child restraint system. The administration also said that in that same year, 47% of the more than 22,000 vehicle occupants killed in crashes in the United States were not wearing seat belts.
