Deschutes SO plans seat belt, DUII traffic campaigns

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office will take part in an Oregon safety belt overtime campaign Aug. 24-Sept. 6 and a DUII traffic safety campaign during Labor Day weekend.

The Oregon Safety Belt Overtime Campaign is a statewide selective traffic enforcement program that seeks to reduce the number of motor vehicle-related deaths and injuries by increasing public awareness of laws regarding the three most prevalent factors contributing to traffic crash injuries: safety restraint use, speed, and impaired drivers.

During this campaign, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is increasing traffic patrols during daylight hours for the purpose of enforcing seat belt and child seat use, hands-free cell phone operation, and speed.

A statewide observation survey in June 2015 found 98% of Oregon’s motoring public using safety belts or child car seats. Not surprisingly, belt use was lower among persons killed in crashes — 75% among all crash fatalities. Motor Vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for children ages one through twelve years old.

Oregon law requires children less than forty pounds 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 their size until they reach age eight or 4’9″ tall AND the adult belt system fits them correctly.

For help with child car seats, refer to the seat manufacturer’s instructions, vehicle owner’s manual, or visit your local child seat fitting station. A list of fitting stations can be found at: http://www.nhtsa.gov/apps/cps/index.htm or at http://oregonimpact.org/car-seat-resources/

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office also will participate in a statewide traffic safety campaign increasing traffic patrols during the Labor Day Weekend to focus on DUII enforcement.

Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows Labor Day weekend is a dangerous holiday for driving nationwide. In 2013, 38 percent of fatalities during the holiday travel period involved drunk drivers, amounting to 161 lives lost. More than a quarter of those fatalities involved a driver with a blood alcohol at least twice the legal limit.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office along with the Oregon Department of Transportation encourages all drivers and passengers to make a conscious effort to use their seat belt at all times while traveling in a motor vehicle regardless of the distance traveled. Furthermore, we encourage all drivers to drink responsibly. If drivers intend to drink, please plan ahead and use a designated driver or public transportation such as a taxi or the local bus system