OPP fall seat belt campaign on

The OPP's annual province-wide fall seatbelt initiative is on. OPP officers and Ministry of Transportation will work together to ensure compliance by all motorists and passengers.

To date in 2007, 89 of the 335 people killed in collisions on roads the OPP patrols were not wearing seatbelts; a 30.9% increase over the same period last year when 68 of the 320 people who died weren't buckled up. The fine for not wearing a seatbelt is $110 and two demerit points for drivers.

"It takes less than five seconds to fasten your seatbelt," OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino said. "That one quick and easy act could save your life in a serious crash. In September alone we have seen seven people killed who were ejected from a vehicle in a collision. There is an excellent chance they would have survived if they had been wearing seatbelts. You owe it to yourself, your family and friends to buckle up."

The OPP and MTO will also be looking for improperly installed child restraints or young children who aren't in car seats at all. Municipal police services across the province are also involved in the seatbelt campaign.

Aproperly used child seat reduces a child's risk of injury in a motor vehicle collision by as much as 75%, yet as many as 80% of child car seats are used incorrectly.

Bill 73, passed in December 2004, made booster seats mandatory for anyone transporting a child weighing between 40-80 pounds (18-36 kilograms), under 4-foot-9 (145 centimeters) tall and under the age of eight.

"The national Road Safety Vision 2010 target of a 30% reduction in roadway fatalities could be achieved through 100% compliance with seatbelt use," Chief Superintendent Bill Grodzinski, Commander of the Highway Safety Division said. "We will monitor the inspection statistics daily and will concentrate on areas of the province where we can be most effective in changing motorists' habits."