Statewide police effort made targeting 'epidemic' in Kansas
JUNCTION CITY (KSNT) - Kansas law enforcement agencies are coming together to increase their patrol efforts around schools to bring awareness to an "epidemic" among children.
Several law enforcement agencies across the sunflower state, including the Junction City Police Department, will be encouraging more motorists and their passengers to buckle up. From Oct. 24 to Oct. 28, police will be increasing their enforcement efforts regarding seatbelt usage around Kansas schools. Citations will be issued to those found violating Kansas laws.
The JCPD referred to the lack of seatbelt usage, especially among children, as an epidemic in a recent social media post. They cited statistics from 2019 where eight children who ranged from 0-13 years of age died in Kansas car crashes. A total of 62% of those children were not wearing seat belts.
“In the health field, they talk about making sure children have received their immunizations to prevent deadly diseases,” said JCPD Police Chief John Lamb. “But what many parents don’t think about is that wearing a seatbelt properly is the best prevention of serious injury or death in a vehicle.”
A 2019 Kansas observational seatbelt survey found that children are much more likely to be buckled up if the driver is wearing their seatbelt, according to the JCPD. If the driver is buckled, about 97% of the children are restrained. However, if the driver is not buckled, only about 30% of the observed children were buckled.
Five children died in Northeast Kansas car crashes recently. On June 8, a child died in a car crash near Rossville. A child and his father were killed in a three-car collision in Pottawatomie County on Aug. 11. Three girls were also killed in a car crash on the Kansas Turnpike on Oct. 9.
“Even one child’s death is unacceptable," Lamb said. "Please slow down, especially in school zones, eliminate the distractions, and always buckle up.”
To check out the most recent data and to learn more about Kansas safety belt laws, click here.