Police Department Conducts Seat Belt and Safety Seat Enforcement in School Zones
The Roselle Police Department has received complaints concerning unrestrained children in passenger vehicles. Many of the complaints involve children standing in the front seat area when they arrive at school. This is not only illegal, but also extremely dangerous, as most passenger vehicles have airbags in the dashboard. Airbags contain explosive gases designed to inflate the airbag at speeds of up to 200 MPH. This would have devastating consequences should the child be near the airbag when it deploys. Children have been killed in minor crashes due to airbag deployment while being unrestrained.
Many of the complaints occur in the morning, when parents are in a hurry to drive their children to school. Being in a hurry increases the risk of being involved in a crash. Many parents believe that they are only driving a few blocks to school and the speeds are relatively low. This attitude causes children to be at high risk for serious injury. In older cars with first generation airbags, even a minor crash could result in airbag deployment.
Current Illinois law requires that all occupants, regardless of age, wear a seat belt whether in the front or rear seat of a passenger vehicle. Children under 8 years old should be in a rear-facing infant seat, forward facing child seat, or a booster seat that is used with the vehicle lap/shoulder belt system.
Roselle Police officers conduct enforcement in the school zones as part of our effort to increase compliance while decreasing the risk to vehicle occupants posed by failure to wear a seat belt.
If you have questions or observe violations you may call the Roselle Police Department at (630) 980-2025.