Beginning Monday, August 18, and continuing through Sunday, August 31, the Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office will conduct targeted traffic safety enforcement using federally funded overtime hours.
This statewide effort aims to educate drivers and passengers about Oregon’s safety belt and child safety seat laws, including the 2017 law that increased protections for children under age two.
In 2017, Oregon enacted a law requiring children to ride in a rear-facing safety seat until at least age two—extending the previous age requirement from one year to two years. This change offers better protection for a child’s head, neck, and spine in the event of a crash. A rear-facing seat spreads crash forces evenly across the seat and the child’s body while also limiting forward or sideways motion of the head.
After age two, a child must continue to ride in a car seat with a harness or in a booster seat until they reach age eight or 4’9” in height, and the adult safety belt fits them properly.
Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading nationwide cause of death for children ages one through twelve. In 2023, 1,972 children under twelve were injured in Oregon traffic crashes, with 11% not using any child restraint system. Research shows:
Car seats can increase crash survival by 71% for infants under one year old.
Car seats can reduce fatal injury risk by up to 59% for toddlers aged one to four.
Booster seats can reduce the chance of nonfatal injury among children ages four to eight by 45% compared to seat belts alone.
“Oregon’s seat belt and child safety seat laws save lives,” said Undersheriff Kelly. “Taking a few seconds to buckle up or properly secure your child can make all the difference in a crash.”