DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ore. – Beginning Monday, August 22 and extending through Sunday, September 4, 2022 the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office will join law enforcement agencies throughout Oregon in using federally funded overtime to educate the public about safety belt and child seat laws including a law passed in 2017 increasing safety for children under age two. ODOT crash data for 2020 shows lack of safety belt or child restraint use was a factor in 32% or 100 of a total 311 motor vehicle occupant fatalities. “The overall goal is to educate the public and reduce the number of fatalities due to improper use or lack of use of the proper restraint systems.” Lt. Brad O’Dell said. In 2017, an Oregon law was passed requiring children to ride in a rear-facing safety seat until they are at least two years old. A child over age two must continue to ride in a car seat with harness or in a booster until they reach age eight or 4’ 9” in height and the adult belt fits them correctly. For help selecting or installing child car seats, consult the seat manufacturer’s instructions, your vehicle owner’s manual, or visit a local child seat fitting station listed at: https://www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/car-seats-and-booster-seats#inspection-inspection or at http://oregonimpact.org/Child_Passenger_Safety. The Sheriff’s Office will have deputies on overtime to conduct the enhanced patrols at random times during the enforcement campaign. The overtime is paid with a grant administered by the Oregon Department of Transportation utilizing federally funded dollars.
