Central Oregonian

City police participating in seat belt blitz

February 07, 2013

The Prineville Police Department will be participating in the safety belt enforcement blitz. The Prineville Police Department will also be stepping up education efforts on child safety restraint laws and proper use of child restraints. Officers will also be looking for speeding and cell phone violations.

A statewide observation survey in June 2012 found 97 percent of Oregon’s motoring public using safety belts, making Oregon one of the three highest belt use states in our country. Since the 1990 passage of Oregon’s adult belt law, observed belt use among the motoring public has doubled from 50 to 97 percent while crash fatality and injury rates have both dramatically decreased by 59 percent and 37 percent respectively.

Oregon Law requires: “Proper use” is required by Oregon law and means using the entire belt system, lap belt low across hips, and shoulder belt over collarbone and crossing center of chest. Belts should be free of slacks and lying flat with no twist or knots. Shoulder belts should not be placed under the arm or behind the back-this can cause serious internal injuries or ejection in a crash.

Oregon Law: A child weighing less than 40 pounds must be properly restrained in a child safety seat. A child under one year of age or weighing less than twenty pounds must be restrained in a rear-facing child seat. A child over forty pounds but under age eight or less than 4’ 9” tall must be restrained in either a child seat with harness system or in a booster seat that raises the child up so that a lap and shoulder belt system fit correctly.

While it is not the law in Oregon, it is strongly recommended that children age twelve and

under ride in rear seating positions. Research indicated that such rear seating reduces the

risk of injury by 37 percent for that age group.