The Upper Allen Police Department will partner with Buckle Up PA and PA Traffic Injury Prevention Project to participate in the first Child Passenger Safety Enforcement Mobilization, scheduled for September 13th to the 19th .The Mobilization corresponds with the National Child Passenger Safety Week and National Seat Check Saturday.
Car crashes continue to be the leading cause of death for children. On average, nearly 2 children under the age of 13 were killed and 345 children were injured every day in 2013 while riding in cars, SUVs, pickup trucks, and vans. In 2013, 637 children under the age of 13 could have lived if all of these children had been buckled. We know car seats are most effective when installed and used correctly. Tweens are at risk, too: Among 13-year-old car, van and SUV occupants who died in crashes between 2009 and 2013, almost half were not wearing their seat belts.
Motorists are reminded that Pennsylvania’s primary seat-belt law requires drivers and passengers under 18 years old to buckle up, and children under the age of 4 must be properly restrained in an approved child safety seat. Children ages 4 to 8 must be restrained in an appropriate booster seat. In addition, children ages 8 to 18 must be wearing a seat belt when riding anywhere in the vehicle.
Also, drivers and front-seat passengers 18 years-old or older are required to buckle up. If motorists are stopped for a traffic violation and are not wearing their seat belt, they can receive a second ticket and second fine.
The Upper Allen Police Department will join other departments and highway safety partners across the state to provide Child Passenger Safety information, presentations, and if necessary, write citations. Police will also use roving patrols on roadways with high numbers of unbuckled crashes. Citations will be issued to motorists who are caught transporting unrestrained children.
Funding for this enforcement effort comes from part of PennDOT’s statewide distribution of $1.7 million in federal funds from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
For more information on seat belt safety, visit www.JustDrivePA.com.
