Beginning February 29th through March 11th, the Brown County Sheriff’s Office will join other Kansas Law Enforcement to stop what has been an epidemic for the past several years. In 2014, 34 teens lost their lives due to car crashes in the Kansas; 63% of those teens were not properly restrained. Last year 123 Law Enforcement agencies from across Kansas participated in the SAFE enforcement effort,
issuing more than 2000 seatbelt citations. This year law enforcement agencies from Missouri and
Oklahoma will join in this enforcement effort.
In an effort to change this trend, law enforcement across Kansas will be extra vigilant when patrolling around schools. For more than 30 years, officers have educated and warned passengers and drivers regarding the importance of using restraints while in their vehicle.
There should be no surprises when it comes to this enforcement effort. Officers will issue citations to any individual who refuses to obey the traffic laws whether it’s for speeding, texting or failing to buckle up.
Sheriff Merchant thinks “Even one teen death is unacceptable. Please slow down, put the phone away or turn it off, and always buckle up.”