Oregon police boosting holiday weekend patrols

Motorists who choose to drive impaired, not use their safety restraints, drive distracted or make other dangerous driving decisions should expect to draw the attention of law enforcement officers statewide during the 2015 Memorial Day holiday weekend.

Oregon State Police (OSP) troopers, county sheriffs and local police officers will step up enforcement efforts, now through May 31 , 2015, to help save lives by cracking down on traffic violators.

The increased enforcement efforts, part of the national “Click It or Ticket” campaign, cover the Memorial Day holiday period, which begins 6:00 p.m., Friday, May 22 and ends at 11:59 p.m., Monday, May 25 . The focus will be on ensuring passengers are properly buckled up; child passengers are in the right restraint system; and impaired drivers are removed from the road.

Oregon safety restraint law requires the following:

* Child passengers weighing less than forty pounds must be restrained in a child seat.

* Children under one year or weighing less than twenty pounds must be restrained in a rear-facing child seat.

* A child over forty pounds must be restrained in either a child seat or a booster seat appropriate for the child’s size until he/she reaches age eight or 4’9″ tall AND the adult belt system fits properly.

* Best practice (but not Oregon law): Children age 12 and under should sit in the back seat due to airbag dangers.

Key Safety Restraint Facts for Oregon

* Oregon leads the nation with highest reported seatbelt use: 98.18%. NHTSA estimates 175 people were saved in Oregon during 2013 because they were buckled up.

* OSP, sheriffs and local police will be working day and night to increase proper safety belt and child car seat use during a statewide traffic enforcement “blitz” from May 18 through May 31 , 2015.

* Child car seats reduce the likelihood of infants under 1 year old being killed in a crash by 71 percent and the fatal risk for toddlers aged 1 to 4 by 54 percent, and 58 and 59 percent for infants and toddlers in SUVS, pickups and vans. Boosters reduce the risk of serious injury for four to eight year olds by 45%.

* Safety belts reduce the chance of fatal injury by 45 to 65 percent. To view a 3-minute movie explaining Oregon belt laws: http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TS/PublishingImages/safetybelts/swf/index.html

Travel Tips to ensure your safety and those of other travelers

* Get rested before you are tested. Fatigued drivers are more frequent during holiday weekends because of increased travel and activity. Be patient and allow plenty of time to reach your destination.

* Pay attention. An inattentive driver is a growing safety concern on our roads and an increasing factor in traffic crashes.

* Know before you go: Stay up to date on road conditions by visiting TripCheck.com or calling 5-1-1.

* Even when workers are not present, all work zone speed limits still apply and fines double. Inactive work zones still have equipment, detours, and incomplete changes in the roadway so drivers need to slow down and be alert.

* Share the road. Don’t tailgate and check your mirrors and blind spots before changing lanes.

* Be on the lookout for bicyclists, pedestrians and other vulnerable users of our roads.

* Always use safety restraints and child safety seats correctly.

* Don’t drink and drive; don’t be impaired and drive. These can be deadly combinations.

* MOVE OVER if you are approaching any type of emergency vehicle, tow truck or roadside assistance vehicle which is stopped on the roadside with emergency lights activated.