Spring seatbelt campaign underway

Officers from the Sudbury and Espanola Detachments of the Ontario Provincial Police will be out in full force during the Spring Seatbelt Campaign, which is set to begin April 16 and will run through until April 27.  The Provincial enforcement initiative augments regular seatbelt enforcement by patrol officers every day of the year.

During the 2007 Spring Seatbelt Campaign, Sudbury and Espanola OPP officers checked 6,910 seatbelts and 27 child restraints.  A total of 49 drivers and five passengers were charged for failing to wear their seatbelt.  There were also three child restraint infractions.  The penalty for a seatbelt or child restraint offence is a fine of $110 and two demerit points.

Last year, five people were killed on roads patrolled by members of the Sudbury and Espanola OPP Detachments.  Two of these fatalities were as a result of the occupants not being buckled up.  So far in 2008, two people have been killed on roads patrolled by our detachments. Although, on OPP patrolled roadways, since January 2008,  21 of the 70 fatalities are as a result of occupants not being buckled up.

Drivers are legally responsible for ensuring that passengers under the age of 16 are properly buckled up, either in a seatbelt, an appropriate child car seat or booster seat.  A properly installed child safety seat can reduce the risk of serious injury or death by as much as 75 percent.  Safe Kids Canada produced an educational bilingual DVD which provides demonstrations and tips for choosing and installing car seats and booster seats safely.  Anyone wishing to obtain a copy of this free DVD can call 1-888-SAFE-TIPS or send an e-mail to: [email protected].

“It’s a fact that most collisions occur in very close proximity of your home. Officers have heard all the excuses and even if you’re just going around the corner, it’s isn’t an excuse not to wear your seatbelt or not having children properly secured in a child restraint” explains Detachment Commander, Staff Sergeant Garry Mills. “As you get in your vehicle, drivers should make a habit of saying 'buckle up everyone.'  This will save you and your loved ones from suffering serious injuries or death and besides, it’s the law.”