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Seat belt deputies remind parents "to buckle-up"
By MARG WERDEN
Not only will the parents of some Doverwood School students have to worry about the police checking to see if they are wearing their seat belts, but now their children, recently sworn in as seat belt deputies, will be reminding them to buckle up.
Grade 2 students received a visit from OPP Public Relations Officer Mark Foster, Port Dover Firefighter Tom Myerscough, and Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit Health Promoter Karin Marks last week to introduce them to the Seat Belt Deputy Program.
“The students repeated a pledge to make sure their family members wear seat belts,” explained Marks. “They also received a certificate that made them official Seat Belt Deputies.”
In a show of hands in the classroom, a number of the students said they had to remind their parents to put on their seat belts. “No matter where you are sitting in a vehicle, everyone has to wear a seat belt,” explained Constable Foster. “Your job as a seat belt deputy is to make sure that everyone is doing that and helping to keep everyone safe.”
Since December 1, 2006, Ontario legislation requires every occupant in a motor vehicle to be buckled up properly. A gap in previous legislation allowed vehicle occupants to ride unbelted where all available seat belts were in use. In addition, the law prohibits “doubling up”, two or more people using the same seat belt at the same time.
Drivers or passengers convicted of failing to use a seat belt will be subject to a $110 fine and drivers will have two demerit points applied to their driver record for failing to use a seat belt or failing to ensure a passenger under the age of 16 is properly restrained.
-- Wednesday, April 25, 2007
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