Child Passenger Safety Week Leads to Stricter Seatbelt Enforcement Campaign

Beginning September 14 thru September 18, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office will join other Kansas law enforcement agencies to stop the senseless deaths of children resulting to them not being properly restrained in vehicles.   In 2014, 28 children ages 0-17 lost their lives due to car crashes in Kansas. Sadly, half of those children were not wearing their seat belts, and 8 of them were ejected from the vehicle.

“Parents play a huge role in making sure their children are safe and healthy.  That responsibility includes making sure their kids are buckled up, just as much as it includes making sure they receive their proper immunizations and vitamins,” stated Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves in a written release announcing the special enforcement effort. 

According to the 2015 Kansas observational seatbelt survey, children are much more likely to be buckled up if the driver is wearing their seat belt. If the driver is buckled, about 95% of the children are restrained. If the driver is not buckled, only about 25% of the observed children were buckled. We want adults to model good driver behavior for the children.

Throughout National Child Passenger Safety Week, September 14-18, law enforcement across

Kansas will be extra-vigilant when patrolling around schools. For more than twenty years, officers have educated and warned drivers and passengers regarding the importance of using seat belts while in their vehicle.

“Just as with similar enforcement campaigns in the past, our objective is not to write citations but rather to encourage voluntary compliance with Kansas law and keep our roadways safe.  However, there should be no surprises and motorists who choose not to comply with Kansas law should anticipate receiving a ticket if they be stopped,” concluded Sheriff Groves.

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