Illinois State Police (ISP) Troop 9 Commander, Lieutenant Bruce Waggoner, has announced that ISP will conduct Occupant Restraint Enforcement Patrols (OREPs) in Clay, Effingham, Fayette, and White counties throughout March. These patrols focus on enforcing safety belt and child safety seat laws, which require all vehicle passengers—both front and back—to be properly buckled up.
According to the ISP, safety belts remain one of the most effective safety devices, estimated to save over 14,000 lives annually. Nearly half of vehicle occupants killed in crashes were not wearing seat belts. The goal of the OREPs is to increase compliance with occupant restraint laws through education, child safety seat inspections, and enforcement.
The project is funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation.