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KEIZER POLICE DEPARTMENT MEDIA RELEASE
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INCIDENT NUMBER: KZP 10000
DATE AND TIME: 2/8/2010 @ 8:00:00 AM
INCIDENT TYPE: 3-Flags Traffic Safety Campaign
INCIDENT LOCATION: CITY OF KEIZER
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INCIDENT SUMMARY:
The 3-Flags Campaign is a cooperative international safety belt partnership made possible through funding provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration involving hundreds of law enforcement agencies in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. The campaign seeks to reduce the number of deaths and injuries that occur as a result of motor vehicle crashes by increasing public awareness of laws regarding safety belt use and other traffic issues including DUII and speed. Starting on February 8, 2010 local and state agencies will be out in force, looking for violators and educating. The primary focus during this blitz will be proper seatbelt use as well as making sure kids ages 4-8 are in booster seats.
The Keizer Police Department will be participating with active patrols and will enforce all safety belt violations on funds provided by the campaign February 8th through February 21st 2010.
Oregon Law (ORS 811.210) ADULT BELT LAW: Oregon law requires that all motor vehicle operators and passengers be properly secured with a safety belt or safety harness, unless all safety-belt equipped seating positions are occupied by other persons. This applies to passenger cars, pick up trucks, motorhomes, and fee-based people transport carrying fifteen or fewer persons. Limited exemptions are allowed under ORS 811.215. Vehicle owners are required to maintain belt systems in working order.
CHILD RESTRAINT LAW: (effective July 1, 2007) Child passengers must be restrained in approved child safety seats until they weigh forty pounds. Infants must ride rear-facing until they reach both one year of age AND twenty pounds.
BOOSTER SEAT LAW: (effective July 1, 2007) Children over forty pounds must use boosters to 4'9" tall unless they have reached age eight.
NATIONAL "BEST PRACTICE" RECOMMENDATIONS: Oregon child seat laws generally reflect USDOT National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommendations based upon accepted nationwide research studies. However, NHTSA offers the following two additional recommendations which are not currently included in Oregon law: 1) children should ride rear-facing in their car seat until they reach the upper height or weight limit recommended by the manufacturer of the seat in use (provides greater head protection particularly in a side-impact crash), and 2) children under age thirteen should ride in the back seat (reduces the risk of crash injury by 37% for this age group.) For more information please check the website at: www.childsafetyseat.org.
A spot inspection February 4, 2010 revealed a 96% compliance rate for seat belt usage along River Rd N.
SO PLEASE BUCKLE UP, “IT’S THE LAW”
KEIZER POLICE DEPARTMENT TRAFFIC SAFETY UNIT
Sgt. David LeDay
Ofc. Dan Kelley
Ofc. Eric Jefferson