01/31/2019 - Seat Belt Safety Campaign Tigard Police Department
Media Release
• ' 13125 SW Hall Boulevard I Tigard, Oregon 97223 www.tigard-or.gov/police
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE I January 31,2019
Contact:
Jim Wolf,Public Information Officer
Tigard Police Department
Phone: 503-718-2561
Email: jim@tigard-or.gov
Tigard Police Set To Begin Seat Belt Enforcement Campaign
The Tigard Police Department will once again participate in a nationwide traffic safety campaign to
enforce Oregon seat belt laws. Additionally, extra police on the road will also be watching drivers for
speed violations and texting while driving. Tigard Police is joining with other state and local law
enforcement officers and highway safety advocates across the country to help save more lives by
strongly enforcing laws around the clock.
The program is set to begin on February 4th and continue until February 17th, 2019. The two-week
long blitz is a multi-jurisdictional approach to help ensure motorists respect, obey and understand
the importance of using vehicle seat belts and child safety seats when applicable. Tigard Police
officers will be focusing on enforcement at various times and days during the campaign. This effort
is made possible through dedicated federal funding providing overtime opportunities to carry out
the program.
Recent statistics indicated that Tigard motorists demonstrated nearly 97 per cent compliance
regarding passenger vehicle seat belt usage for front-seated occupants. The national average is just
over 90 per cent. While the figures are encouraging, it should be noted that the lack of seat belt use
was a major factor in half of all motor vehicle fatalities in Oregon during recent years.
The safety campaign also adds that Tigard Police will be enforcing the laws surrounding the use of
proper passenger restraints for children. Information regarding guidelines,planned child safety seat
installation clinics and correct usage for child safety seats can found at www.oregon.gov
Please do your part to buckle-up and ensure your passengers do the same. Together we can help
make our roads safer.
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