City of Derby News Release
Child Safety Passenger Campaign: February 11-17
February 7, 2008
The week of February 11-17, 2008, is the Child Passenger Safety Campaign, both in Derby and around the state of Kansas.
The extra enforcement is underwritten by a grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT), which is designed to promote aggressive enforcement of all Kansas traffic laws. Officers will be especially alert for child passengers who are not properly restrained, and for other occupants who are not buckled up.
“If you or your children are caught driving while unrestrained, you can expect to be ticketed,” said Lt. Jimmy Queen, Derby Police Department.
According to Lt. Queen, the Derby Police Department is working together with other Kansas law enforcement agencies, including the Kansas Highway Patrol, to reduce the number of preventable deaths and injuries that occur when occupants ride unrestrained. In Kansas, 605 people killed in accidents were not buckled up in 2007. In non-injury accidents, 88% were buckled up.
Law enforcement agencies are particularly concerned about adults who fail to properly restrain their children. According to the latest child safety restraint survey by KDOT, on average, only about 68% of Kansas children are buckled in. The average adult rate is 75%, one of the lowest in the nation. These numbers suggest that some parents may be buckling themselves in while leaving their children unrestrained.
“The most vulnerable among us should be protected,” added Lt. Queen. “One of the most difficult crash scenes for an officer is the one in which young children have been killed or injured needlessly by a driver’s negligence in properly buckling them in.”
Kansas law requires all riders under the age of 4 to be in a federally-approved child safety seat. Children 4 years of age, but under the age of 8 years, must be in a federally-approved child safety seat/booster seat unless the child weighs more than 80 pounds or is taller than 4 feet 9 inches in height. Children ages 8-13 are required to wear a regular seat belt.
If you have questions regarding the Child Passenger Safety Campaign, call the Derby Police Department at 788-1557.
Questions or comments? Please email webmaster@derbyweb.com.
|
