Agencies to enforce seat belt state law.

Byline: The Register-Guard

The Lane County Sheriff's traffic safety team will take part in the Three Flags campaign to enforce use of seat belts in vehicles, beginning today and continuing through Sept. 23.

The program involves hundreds of law enforcement agencies in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia, with the goal of lowering the number of motor vehicle-related deaths.

Oregon laws on the use of seat belts and child safety seats changed earlier this year.

As of July 1, Oregon's seat belt law required that infants be placed in rear-facing child seats until they are a year old and weigh at least 20 pounds.

Children more than a year old who are between 20 and 40 pounds need to be secured with a forward-facing child seat, while children under age 8 or those less than 4 feet, 9 inches tall and weighing more than 40 pounds must be in a booster seat.

Children older than 8 or taller than 4 feet, 9 inches must use the seat belts in the vehicle.

Minors under the age 18 are prohibited from riding in the open bed of a pickup truck.

Oregon already ranks among the top 11 states and territories to achieve seat belt use of 90 percent or higher, along with Washington, Michigan, California, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Nevada, Maryland, Texas, Georgia and New Jersey.

Last year, Oregon achieved a 97 percent usage rate, up from 85 percent in 1997. The use of child safety seats likewise has increased, to 94 percent last year for children age 1 year and older, compared with just 57 percent a decade ago.

Nationwide, the buckling-up average is just 81 percent, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Deputies will be working on grant overtime provided by traffic safety administration through the Oregon State Sheriffs Association.

Other local agencies that are participating in the seat belt campaign include the Oregon State Police and the Florence police.