CBPD Safety Belt Enforcement Blitz

Beginning Monday, January 31, and extending through Sunday, February 13, Coos Bay Police Department, and law enforcement agencies throughout Oregon will use federally funded overtime to educate the public about safety belt and child seat laws. his includes a law passed in 2017 increasing safety for children under age two.

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 age two must continue to ride in a car seat with harness or in a booster until they reach age eight or 4' 9" in height and the adult belt fits them correctly.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading nationwide cause of death for children ages one through twelve years old. In 2019, 1,636 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% for infants under one year old and by up to 59% for toddlers aged one to four. Booster seats may reduce the chance of nonfatal injury among four- to eight-year-olds by 45% compared to safety belts used alone.

According to data from 2017, safety belts saved an estimated 14,955 lives nationally. For drivers and front-seat passengers, using a lap and shoulder belt reduces the risk of fatal injury by 60 percent in an SUV, van or pickup and by 45 percent in a car. (IIHS) Unfortunately, of the 22,215 passenger vehicle occupants killed in the United States in 2019, 47% were not wearing seat belts.

Oregon law requires that there be "proper use" of the entire seatbelt system; lap belt placed low across the hips and a shoulder belt over the collarbone and crossing the center of the chest. Belts should be free of slack and lying flat with no twists or knots. If necessary, slide the attachment on the door post up or down to fit the size of you or your passenger. Shoulder belts should not be placed under the arm or behind the back as this can cause serious internal injuries or ejection in the event of a crash. Safety belts used correctly can reduce the risk of major crash injury or death by up to sixty- five percent.

For help selecting or installing child car seats, consult the seat manufacturer's instructions, your vehicle owner's manual, or visit a local child seat fitting station listed at: https://www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/car-seats-and-booster-seats#inspection-inspection or at http://oregonimpact.org/car-seat-resources.htm.

As members from the Coos Bay Police Department take to the road during this campaign, they will focus their attention on seatbelt violations and child safety seat violations but will also be watching for drivers who are speeding, texting, and driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs. The focus of the program is to increase public awareness of the seatbelt laws with the goal of reducing traffic injuries and deaths.

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