NEWS RELEASE

CLICK IT OR TICKET

The Seaside Police Department, along with officers from Oregon, Washington and British Columbia, will be participating in the next 3-Flags Campaign to encourage the use of safety belts and child restrains. Our goal is to save lives. This Campaign which runs between May 21^st and June 3^rd coincides with the national Click It or Ticket campaign during the two weeks surrounding the Memorial Day weekend. As in the past, the officers will be enforcing safety belt usage and child restraint devices.

According to the National Centers for Disease Control, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death and disability for all Americans age 1 through 34 old. Since the passage of the adult seat belt law in 1990, Oregon’s crash fatality and injury rates have both dropped 43% as seatbelt use has almost doubled from 50% to 97%. The law, coupled with active enforcement, has resulted in Oregon ranking third behind Washington, and Michigan nationally with a 94.1 percent safety belt usage. This compares to a nationwide safety belt use average of 81%.

Oregon law requires all occupants of passenger vehicles to “properly” use safety belts. If you are in a motor home and pickup truck, safety belts are required to be used where provided. Children under 4 years of age OR weighing less than 40 pounds must be restrained in child seats. Children over 4 AND weighing more than 40 pounds must use booster seats until they attain 6 years of age AND weigh less than 60 pounds. The Seaside Police Department has a certified technician should you have questions about child safety seats or want yours inspected.

We at the Seaside Police Department want you and your family to be as safe as possible when traveling our streets and highways, so remember whether you are an adult, young adult or child, whenever you are in a vehicle BUCKLE-UP -- EVERY TRIP -- EVERY TIME. Help make Oregon number one is seatbelt usage