Enhanced Enforcement Aims to Save Lives Through Click It or Ticket Campaign

Oregon law requires all occupants to use safety restraints or a child safety system appropriate for their size.  Law enforcement agencies throughout Oregon will be working overtime to focus on proper safety belt use including child seat use, during a nationwide traffic enforcement “blitz” occurring day and night from Wednesday, August 15th through Sunday, September 2nd. 

This enhanced enforcement is made possible through grant funding of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and administered by Oregon Department of Transportation.  With onset of warmer weather, deputies will also be checking compliance with laws prohibiting transportation of a minor in an open pickup truck bed.

Roadside observations of belt use among Oregon travelers in 2016 revealed 96% of travelers use safety belts.  But despite this high use rate among the general population, Oregon crash data for 2015 shows lack of belt use in 27% of daytime and 50% of night time crashes. ODOT estimates that at least half of those who died unbelted or 67 persons could have been saved if everyone used safety belts on every trip.  Safety belts, used correctly, can reduce the risk of major crash injury or death by up to sixty-five percent.  Belts are even more effective when used in combination with airbag systems and other not-so-obvious occupant protection features designed into today’s vehicles.  

Currently, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause nationwide of death for children ages one through twelve years old. Child 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. 

Oregon law requires children under two years of age to be properly secured in a rear-facing child safety seat.  A child weighing under forty pounds is required to be properly secured in a child seat with harness.  A child over forty pounds and under 4’ 9” must be properly secured using a booster seat until they reach age eight.  If you are unsure whether your child is ready to transition to an adult belt system, use the easy five-step test here: http://www.carseat.org

The new law, which extends the rear-facing requirement from the previous age one to age two,

will better protect the child’s head, neck, and spine from potential crash injuries. Research has

shown that children in the second year of life are five times less likely to die or be seriously

injured in a crash if they ride rear-facing. This is because a rear-facing seat spreads crash

forces evenly across the seat and child’s body while also limiting forward or sideways motion of

the head.

For help 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://oregonimpact.org                                                                                 
Product recalls related to your vehicle’s safety belt or your child’s safety seat is provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at http://www.nhtsa.gov/ or check with the product manufacturer.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is committed to ensuring the safety of all individuals who live in and travel through Polk County.  One of the most important safety measures individuals can take is to simply buckle up.