WABASH COUNTY, Ind. – The Wabash County Sheriff’s Department is joining 20 other law-enforcement agencies and the Indiana State Police in enforcing seat-belt laws across 30 rural counties with the highest rate of unrestrained crashes. Beginning this Tuesday, July 11, multiple weeks of high-visibility patrols will be watching for unrestrained passengers in the front seats and back, both day and night.
A smaller portion of the US population lives in rural areas, but there were 12,797 passenger vehicle fatalities on rural roads in 2015 as compared to 8,262 fatalities on urban roads. Half of those killed in rural areas weren’t wearing seat belts as opposed to 46 percent in urban locations. In addition, 61 percent of motorists killed in pickup truck crashes weren’t wearing seat belts.
“Too often our officers witness this preventable loss of life when unbelted motorists are involved in crashes,” said Sgt. Dan Johnson. “Our job is to do all we can to keep community members safe. If the enforcement crackdown gets people to buckle up in every seat and every trip, it will save lives.”
Indiana’s annual rural demonstration project is made possible through federal highway safety funds administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. To learn more about seat-belt safety, visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/seat-belts.
Seat Belt Tips
Secure the lap belt across your hips and pelvis, below your stomach
Place the shoulder belt across the middle of your chest and rib cage, away from your neck
Never put the shoulder belt behind your back or under an arm
If your seat belt doesn’t fit you, or you have an older car with lap belts only, ask your dealer or vehicle manufacturer about seat-belt adjusters, extenders, or retrofits