(SUDBURY, ON) – The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Fall Seat Belt Campaign begins on Thursday, September 23 and runs through to Friday, October 9, 2015. Members of the Sudbury and Espanola OPP Detachments are participating in this important road safety initiative. Officers will be focusing on seat belt enforcement and educating road users in an effort to change driving behaviour and save lives. Motorists can expect to see the familiar OPP roadside spot checks as officers look for proper seat belt use.

Drivers are legally responsible for ensuring that passengers under the age of 16 are properly buckled up – in a seat belt, an appropriate child car seat or booster seat. A properly installed child safety seat can reduce the risk of serious injury or death by as much as 75%. The number of occupants in a vehicle is limited to the number of seat belts – one person, one seat belt – it’s the law.

The penalty for a seat belt offence is $240 of which $40 is applied to the victim surcharge fund and two demerit points. Traffic collisions remain the leading cause of injury-related deaths in Ontario, estimated to exact a social cost of $9 billion every year. The human toll, loss of life and suffering is immeasurable.

Remember the difference between the belted persons’ stopping distance and the unbelted person’s is significant. It’s often the difference between life and death. “As a driver do your part, buckle up and ensure all your passengers are properly secured, remember seat belts save lives.” stated Sudbury OPP Detachment Commander Staff Sergeant Rick Riopelle.