Kansas law enforcement officers plan to increase patrols this week to encourage drivers to be aware of child car safety as part of National Child Passenger Safety Week.
Parents can expect to see officers at elementary and middle schools through Friday. The officers will be making sure kids are properly buckled up and are using the correct car seat, booster seat or seat belt. Anyone not obeying Kansas laws pertaining to child safety will be issued a citation.
"We have 95 agencies across the state of Kansas that will be conducting seatbelt enforcement," says Alex Wiebel with the Kansas Traffic Safety Resource Office.
He says officers will also be educating parents on how to install and properly use car seats and seatbelts.
"What we're trying to do is promote that seatbelt use and awareness does save lives across the country," he says.
Safe Kids Kansas, an organization that works to prevent injuries in children, says 28 Kansas children died in vehicle accidents in 2013. Half of them were not wearing seat belts, and eight were thrown from the vehicles.
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