Editor, Times-Union: How many times have you seen an unbuckled child and felt powerless to do anything about it? Now there is something you can do.
From May 22 to 29, the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Office is joining the next Operation ABC Mobilization, the nationwide law enforcement crackdown on deadbeat drivers - adults who drive with unbuckled children. At the same time, citizens can help protect kids by reporting vehicles with unbuckled children through a National Safety Council toll-free number.
During the week of the Mobilization, citizens who see unbuckled children can call 800-764-5755 and provide the license plate number of the vehicle. The National Safety Council will send a letter to the owner of the vehicle cautioning them that allowing a child to ride unbuckled is dangerous and illegal, and if they are stopped by the police, they could be ticketed and fined.
Research shows that deadbeat drivers themselves admit that it takes strong laws and fines to get them to restrain their child passenger. These letters reminding them of this possibility may help prevent a potential tragedy - the kind we see too often.
We participate in these Mobilizations because we know that they are getting results. Our officers will write tickets because they know that's what it takes to prevent the unspeakable tragedies that can occur when adults allow a child to ride unbuckled.
The last five Mobilizations have helped to significantly increase child restraint use and decrease child fatalities, but there is more work to do. One out of four children still rides unrestrained, meaning 15 million children are at deadly risk every day. Traffic crashes are still the number one killer of children, with six out of 10 children who die being completely unbuckled. Nearly half of those kids would be alive today if the adult driver had made sure they were restrained.
Officers will also be stepping up enforcement of adult seat belt laws because it's a proven fact that most adults who don't buckle up themselves don't buckle up kids. Research has found that buckled drivers are three times more likely to restrain their child passengers than drivers who don't buckle up.
It will take the collective outrage of all of us to reach deadbeat drivers who don't make sure their child passengers are protected. No one should look the other way when they see a child at risk. Everyone must speak up if they see their friends and relatives letting a child ride unbuckled. No matter how short the ride, such carelessness is always life threatening and never worth the risk.
We can no longer tolerate children being injured and killed because adults fail to buckle them up. Law enforcement will do our part - and now the public can support these critical efforts. Starting May 22 through May 29, if you see a vehicle with an unbuckled child, call 800-764-5755. You may help save a young life.
Sheriff C. Aaron Rovenstine
Sgt. Chad Hill Kosciusko County Sheriff's Dept.
Campaign Signs
Editor, Times-Union: Maybe a reminder to candidates to take down their campaign signs is in order. Tony Miller has numerous signs still littering the countryside from Mentone to Warsaw and probably other areas as well. Mr. Klinger also has many "signs" still posted that need to come down, but those have been affixed to utility poles, which I understood to be a violation. There may be others, but these are the two most prevalent ones.
