Carlton police focus on seat belts

Carlton police will focus on seat belt enforcement during extra patrols this month.

The police department received a seat belt enforcement grant from Oregon Impact and Oregon Department of Transportation in October.

This grant provides funding for extra time on the streets enforcing seat belt laws. It is meant to deter people from driving without the use of seat belts, according to Officer Jake Blair. He said citizens can help keep themselves safe by using their seat belts when driving. In addition, it's the law: seat belts are required for all drivers and passengers, and approved child safety seats are required for small children.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data from 2017, seat belt use in passenger vehicles saved an estimated 14,955 lives that year. NHTSA data also shows that seat belt use in the front seat of a passenger car reduces risk of fatal injury by 45%.

For more information about the importance of seat belts, citizens can visit nhtsa.gov/risky-driving