Redmond PD plans 2-week seat belt, child safety seat blitz
REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Officers from the Redmond Police Department will be working extra patrols for two weeks in February as part of a safety belt and child seat blitz.
Beginning Monday, Feb. 3 and extending through Sunday, Feb. 16, law enforcement agencies throughout Oregon will use federally funded overtime to educate the public about safety belt and child seat laws, including a recently passed law increasing safety for children under age 2.
Officers will also concentrate on distracted driving as well as speed violations during this time.
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading nationwide cause of death for children ages 1 through 12 years old. In 2017, 1,906 children under 12 were injured in Oregon traffic crashes, 9% were reported not using a child restraint system.
It is estimated that car seats may increase crash survival by 71% for infants under 1 year old and by up to 59% for toddlers aged 1-4. Booster seats may reduce the chance of nonfatal injury among 4- to 8 year-olds by 45%, compared to safety belts used alone.
In 2017, an Oregon law was passed requiring children to ride in a rear-facing safety seat until they are at least 2 years old. A child over age 2 must continue to ride in a car seat with a harness or in a booster until they reach age 8 or 4’ 9” in height and the adult belt fits them correctly.
The recent law, which extends the rear-facing requirement from age 1 to age 2, will better protect the child’s head, neck, and spine from potential crash injuries. 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 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 http://oregonimpact.org/car-seat-resources.htm.
The officers of the Redmond Police Department are committed to making Redmond the safest community in Oregon. Funding for enhanced focused patrols is provided by grants from the Oregon Department of Transportation Safety Division.
