Saint John police have launched their latest road safety campaign of the year.
This week, the force’s traffic management officers will be targeting seatbelt usage.
“The campaign will focus on educating the public about the dangers associated with driving without properly wearing a seatbelt and on the enforcement of seatbelt legislation,” police said in a news release.
Provincial figures show that more than two-in-five vehicle occupants who die in a collision are not wearing their seatbelts.
The fines for not doing so can be stiff. Drivers convicted of a seatbelt offence will be fined at least $172.50, according to police.
In order to comply with the law, police say all occupants of a vehicle must wear a seatbelt and it must be worn properly. That means you cannot have more people in the vehicle than there are seatbelts.
“A seatbelt must be properly adjusted meaning to be worn snugly across the top of the shoulder and diagonally across the chest with no limb, other object or other material between the assembly and body other than clothing or medical aid,” said the release.
Police also pointed to research that indicates the use of appropriate child passenger restraints reduces the risk of serious injury by up to 60 per cent.
A rear-facing seat must be used until a baby is at least one year old and 22 pounds. From there, children must be in a forward-facing seat from 22 pounds to 40 pounds, or from at least one year old to generally four-and-a-half years old.
Children must then use a booster seat until they turn nine years old, weigh 80 pounds, or are 145 centimetres (4’9″) tall.
The seatbelt campaign will run from April 3 to 9.
— Saint John Police (@saintjohnpolice) April 4, 2022
