Tualatin Police to Participate in Safety Belt Blitz

Tualatin Police will be conducting a safety enforcement blitz starting February 11, 2013. The project will focus on proper belt use for adults as well as children riding in booster seats (ages 4-8), texting while driving, and speed enforcement. 

Tualatin Police will join with police agencies nationwide for the annual, “Click it or ticket” campaign that runs from February 11th through February 24th.   Oregon agencies will focus on educating drivers on the importance of wearing their safety belt properly and making sure children (ages 4-8) are properly secured in a booster seat, as well as the dangers of texting while driving and driving too fast.  Statistics show 44% of occupant fatalities in 2011 were reportedly unrestrained.  One in three children under age eight killed or injured in crashes were using adult belt systems (205 children) or were totally unrestrained (14 children) rather than riding in child seats appropriate for their size.

Consistent safety belt use is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes, according to the US Department of Transportation.

“Proper use” is required by Oregon law and means using the entire belt system, lap belt low across hips, and 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.            

Oregon’s Three Flags Campaign is committed to reducing traffic crash injuries and deaths by promoting safety belt use and encouraging other safe driving behaviors through active enforcement and education.

The safety enforcement campaign is a federally funded program administered by ODOT through the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association, Oregon Association Chiefs of Police and OSP Patrol Services.

Nearly one hundred state, county and city police agencies are participating in overtime grants to be used primarily during joint, statewide enforcement saturations or, “blitzes” scheduled for February, May and September. 

For more information on the, “Click it or Ticket” program please visit the following web pages, https://www.nhtsa.gov/

or www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TS/safetybelts.shtml