Operation Pull-Over in Carroll County

The Carroll County Traffic Safety Partnership will participate in a statewide safety belt enforcement blitz beginning Feb. 4.

"We will be on the lookout for and ticketing drivers violating Indiana's safety belt laws while educating them on how to properly restrain child passengers," Deputy Tony Liggett said.

The purpose of this crack down is to remind all parents and other adults responsible for children that from birth to eight years of age, children must ride in a child safety restraint.

In addition, all children ages eight to 16 riding in motor vehicles must be in a child restraint or seat belt, including those who ride in pickup trucks and vehicles plated as pickup trucks.

Increased safety belt enforcement and booster seat education will take place from Feb. 4 to 17. A statewide media outreach campaign will coincide with the enforcement period.

In the United States, an average of five children ages 14 or younger were killed and 640 were injured every day in motor vehicle crashes in 2005.

Those who violate the new law will commit a Class D infraction, which carries a $25 fine. However offenders can avoid the fine if they prove they have obtained an adequate restraint system for their children. Fines collected under the law will be deposited into a state fund that will be used to make grants to public and private organizations for the purchase and distribution of child restraint systems to those who are unable to afford them.