West Linn Police Department Participating In The Safety Belt Blitz May 14th Through May 27th -05/17/18

The West Linn Police Department will be deploying extra police cars to specifically target safety belt, distracted driving and other related violations between May 14th and May 27th, 2018. The funding for these extra patrols is through a grant from the Oregon Department of Transportation. Law Enforcement agencies throughout the state will be participating in the Safety Belt "Blitz." Here are some of the reasons behind this effort:

ODOT crash data for 2016 shows lack of safety belt or child restraint use was a factor in 26% or 89 of a total 343 motor vehicle occupant fatalities.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading nationwide cause of death for children ages one through twelve years old. In 2016, 1,582 children under age nine were injured in Oregon traffic crashes and five children died. 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.

A new Oregon law for children under age two requires they use a child seat with a harness in a rear-facing position, unless the child turned one year of age prior to May 26, 2017. A child under age two or who turned one year of age prior to May 26, 2017, must continue to ride in a car seat with harness or in a booster seat until they reach age eight or 4'9" in height and the adult belt fits them correctly. This new law simply extends the rear-facing requirement from the previous age one to age two. Data supports continuing rear-facing seats until age two because it will better protect the child's head, neck, and spine from potential crash injuries.

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: http://www.nhtsa.gov/apps/cps/index.htm or at http://www.oregonimpact.org/car-seat-resources.htm

Safety belts used correctly can reduce the risk of major crash injury or death by up to sixty-five percent.

Be safe. Use safety belts!