East Bridgewater Police Department . Massachusetts

Seatbelt Safety According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), from 1982 through 1995 safety belts are estimated to have saved 74,769 lives. Even more lives could be saved and serious injuries avoided if seat belt use in the United States, currently at 68 percent, could be increased to 90 percent, levels that are common in many other countries.

Seat belts and child safety seats work, but, fewer than 40 percent of both adults and children who died in traffic crashes were properly restrained.

Seat Belts are the most effective means of reducing fatalities and serious injuries when crashes occur and are estimated to save 9,500 lives in America each year. Research has found that lap/shoulder belts, when used properly, reduce the risk of fatal injury to front seat passenger car occupants by 45 percent and the risk of moderate to critical injury by 50 percent. For light truck occupants, seat belts reduce the risk of fatal injury by 60 percent and moderate-to-critical injury by 65 percent.

Every 14 seconds someone in America is injured in a traffic crash and every 12 minutes someone is killed. When a traffic crash occurs, occupants are still traveling at the vehicle's original speed at the moment of impact. Just after the vehicle rapidly comes to a complete stop, unbelted occupants slam into the steering wheel, windshield, or other parts of the vehicle's interior. Seat belts are effective in reducing fatalities and injuries caused by this second collision, or "human collision," when the vehicle's occupants hit some part of the vehicle interior or other occupants. Seat belts provide the greatest protection against occupant ejection. In fatal crashes in 1995, only two percent of restrained passenger car occupants were ejected, compared to 25 percent of unrestrained occupants. Ejection from a vehicle is one of the most injurious events that can happen to a person in a crash. Three-quarters of the occupants who are ejected from passenger cars are killed.

This Program is offered to the Public to ensure that all children are properly secure while riding in motor vehicles.

All seats will be inspected for safety recalls by the manufacturer, and that they apply properly to the child using the seat, and the seats will be installed with instructions given to the parents as to all the safety features.

The East Bridgewater Police Department would like to thank the following sponsors:

If you have any questions regarding child restraint systems please contact: Officer Doug Carey, Detective John Grillo or Officer David Perrault at (508) 378-7223

Thank you

Chapter 90 Section 7AA, effective on April 9, 1997.

The law states that ALL children under the age of 5 (five) AND weighing less than 40 (forty) lbs. MUST be in a properly installed child safety seat.

Infants and small children ride in car seats until:

They are at least 5 years old AND
They weigh over 40 lbs.

The types of car seats permitted include federally approved infant, toddler, convertible and booster seats.

Children who weigh more than 40 pounds but are under 5 years old must ride in a booster seat.

Children who are 5 years of age or older, and also weigh more than 40 pounds, must wear a seat belt that is properly adjusted.

Federally approved booster seats are permitted and recommended for children who weigh between 40 and 60 pounds.

Children using the vehicle seat belt only should not place the shoulder belt under the arm or behind the back.

This law applies to children riding in:
All types of privately owned vehicles.

Vehicle for hire, including taxi cabs. It is the responsibility of the child's parent or
Caregiver to provide the car seat for use in taxi cab. The driver of a taxi will be fined if he/she does not provide a car seat.

The law does not apply to:

Children in school buses.
Children riding in a vehicle made before July 1, 1966 that does not have safety belts.
Children physically unable to use either a conventional car seat or a child restraint specifically designed for children with special needs. Inability to use a child restraint of either type must be certified in writing by physician.

The safest place for children is in the back seat.

All infants should remain rear-facing until at least one year of age AND and at least 20 lbs.
Never place a rear-facing child safety seat in a front passenger seat with an air bag.

FINE: The driver will be fined $25.00 for each unrestrained child.

For more information call the Massachusetts Governor's Highway Safety Bureau at 617-973-8900, or the Injury Prevention and Control Program, MA Dept. of Public Health, toll free at 1-800-227-SAFE or the East Bridgewater Police Department at (508) 378-7223

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When you have been in a motor vehicle collision there are certain things that you need to do, and certain information that you need to know.

Speed is a major factor in many accidents. Driving too fast for the road conditions, weather, for the vehicle or for the driver increases your chances of being involved in a collision. Reduce speed during adverse weather conditions; rain, ice, sleet, snow and otherwise poor road surfaces can increase your stopping distance. Having worn tires or brakes decrease your ability to stop, and control your vehicle under emergency stopping and turning conditions. As a driver you also have to remember that there are many new drivers on the roadway, and varying degrees of experience will lead to varying degrees of driving ability.

Be familiar with the vehicle that you are operating. All vehicles have blind spots, you should know where they are on your vehicle, and always check them before changing lanes or turning. You cannot check these spots with mirrors, you may have to turn around and check these spots.

You should also know where the mechanical controls are located in your vehicle. This includes headlights, and windshield wipers. Knowing where they are located will decrease the need to divert your eyes from the roadway. You should also check that these mechanisms are in working order. A burnt out headlight bulb can seriously decrease your ability to see in the dark, and it will also decrease the ability for other vehicles to see you. Your windshield wipers should be kept new, and your washer fluid should be kept full. A clean windshield is key in good visibility.

Wear your seatbelt. This will not only save you if you are involved in a collision, it will also decrease your chances of getting in a collision. In a situation where you have to maneuver your vehicle your seatbelt will hold you in place, so you are still in control of your vehicle.

Stay away from other vehicles. Don’t tailgate other drivers, and don’t let them tailgate you. Following too closely is the leading cause of accidents. Don’t drive next to other vehicles, obstructions in the roadway can cause other vehicles to swerve, and they may swerve into you, also when you are next to other vehicles they may not be able to see you, you might be in their blind spot. This is especially true with tractor trailer trucks, the blind spots on these trucks is much larger and the drivers often have trouble seeing you, also the tires on tractor trailer trucks are re-tread, these are the large sections of tire tread that you see on the highway. Heat causes these treads to come off, they can hit your vehicle, get stuck under your vehicle, when this tread comes off it is loud and may cause you to stop abruptly or swerve.

This final step in avoiding Motor Vehicle Collisions is to know where they are likely to occur. Intersections are a place that many collisions occur, always check to make sure traffic is stopped before you start to go through a stop sign, or through a green light. Bends in the roadway are another places that collisions occur. Drivers may not realize how sharp a corner is or may be driving to fast, or the corner may come up faster than the driver expected and they could end up in your lane of travel.

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