Wednesday, April 14, 2004

Safe and secure, and buckled up right!
2004 Spring Seat Belt Campaign

(North Bay, Ontario)
Using a seat belt is the single most effective way to reduce the chance of injury or death in a motor vehicle collision. However, many Ontarians still do not regularly buckle up. One-third of drivers killed in car crashes are not wearing their seat belt.

Ontario's seat belt compliance rate currently stands at just over 92%. In keeping with the Road Safety Vision 2010 seat belt compliance goal, the Ontario Provincial Police is working to improve that rate to 95%.

This year’s two-week Spring Seat Belt Campaign gets underway Friday, April 16, 2004 and drivers can expect to see the familiar OPP roadside stop checks. Police officers understand the importance of seat belt use and want to ensure that you and your passengers are buckled in safely.

During last year’s Spring Seat Belt Campaign North East Region officers checked 138,250 vehicles and 1,011 people were charged for not wearing their seat belts. Another 11 drivers faced charges for infractions related to child safety restraints.
Consider these seat belts facts and make the smart choice that can save lives:

• All Ontario motor vehicle drivers and passengers occupying a seating position for which a seat belt is provided must wear the seat belt in a properly adjusted and securely fastened manner.
• A motor vehicle driver is responsible for ensuring that all children under 16 years of age are properly secured in a seat belt/child car seat.
• Approximately 80 per cent of child car seats are used incorrectly.

• Using a child car seat properly will reduce your child's risk of injury in a motor vehicle collision by 75 per cent.
• Air bags do not take the place of a seat belt. When air bags activate during a motor vehicle collision, they reduce the forward movement of the upper torso and minimize impact. They do not prevent drivers and passengers from being thrown from the car.
• You must wear a seat belt whenever you travel in a motor vehicle, including a taxi. It is the taxi driver's responsibility to ensure that the seat belt is available and in good working order. The law does not require the taxi driver to provide a child car seat. When travelling in a taxi with a child, you have the option of providing your own child car seat or using the vehicle seat belt.
• A driver can be charged and face a fine of $90.00 and two demerit points (plus a $20 victim surcharge) for seat belt infractions. Demerit points remain on a driving record for two years from the date of the offence.

Be safe and secure, and buckle up right.


POLICE SEEKING ASSISTANCE IN THEFT OF TRUCK TIRES
Large Off-Road Tires Taken From Powassan Property

(Powassan, Ontario)
Powassan OPP is asking for your assistance regarding the theft of four (4) 39 inch tires and rims taken from a truck parked at 58 English Line, Powassan, Ontario last week.
Sometime between the early evening hours of Thursday April 8th, and the afternoon of Friday April 9th,2004, someone entered the property which is adjacent to Highway 11 south of the town of Powassan, and stole four Super Swamper tires. The tires were on 10-inch five-bolt chrome rims. Police are asking the public if they observed vehicles and/or pedestrians in the area of southbound Highway 11 near the English Line, Powassan, Ontario on Thursday or Friday of last week.
If anyone has information regarding last weeks theft, please call Constable Adrienne White of the Powassan OPP at (705)495-3878 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

INCREASING SEAT BELT COMPLIANCE FOR YOUR SAFETY
Provincial Goal – 95%

(North Bay, Ontario)
This weekend, the annual Spring Seat Belt initiative is set to start. For a two-week period, starting on Saturday April 17th, and ending at Sunday April 25th, 2004, officers throughout North Bay, Mattawa, Powassan detachment areas, and the Province, will be targeting the use of seat belts and appropriate child care seats, booster seat or seat belt (depending on the child’s physical size and development).

Ontario’s seat belt compliance rate currently stands just over an impressive 92%. This year, Ontario’s goal is 95%. A simple click of a seat belt is all that’s needed to ensure protection for the vehicle occupants in the case of a collision.

Last spring (2003), North Bay, Mattawa and Powassan checked a total of 10,998 vehicles charging 26 people with seatbelt violations and issuing 41 seatbelt warnings. Officers in the cluster also checked 77 child seats and issued five (5) child seat warnings in last spring’s initiative.

This year, the North Bay cluster will be aggressively seeking out seat belt compliance in strategic locations on our highways and roads. Fewer warnings will be given out and it will be up to motorists to buckle up their children and themselves in helping to reduce fatalities and serious injury caused by collisions.

Your children are important to you. Please help with Ontario’s goal: “Stay Safe – Buckle up”.