Spring Seat Belt Campaign is underway

OPP News Release

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Commencing Saturday April 14, 2012 officers of North Bay, Mattawa and Powassan OPP Detachments will actively take part in this year’s Spring Seat Belt Campaign which runs until Sunday, April 22, 2012.

Traffic collisions remain a leading cause of injury-related deaths in Ontario.

Using seatbelts is the single most effective way in reducing vehicle related injuries and fatalities.

The fine for not wearing a seatbelt is $240 and two demerit points.

The officers will be taking a proactive role during this campaign and will be visible.

Seat belt use and compliance has proven to save lives; the enforcement of it should not come as a shock to anyone.

If you choose not to wear it, we will choose to charge you for the offence.

We are imploring drivers in charge of travelling children to not take lightly the importance of properly installed child safety seats.

Statistics show that only 34 per cent of children between the ages of four and eight are properly secured.

When used correctly, a booster seat provides 60 per cent more protection than a seatbelt alone.

In a collision, children using seatbelts instead of booster seats are three and a half times more likely to suffer significant injury, and four times more likely to suffer head injury.

All it takes is a moment to make sure your child’s car seat or booster seat is set up correctly, or to remind a passenger to buckle up — you could end up saving a life!

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