This month the Tri-County Traffic Safety Partnership will join law-enforcement agencies across the state to increase enforcement of seat-belt laws for Operation Belt up. Highly visible patrols will be watching for unrestrained passengers in cars and trucks, both children and adults, the front seat and back, both day and night.

Operation Belt Up promotes a coordinated effort to improve occupant protection strategies, and reduce injuries and fatalities related to seat belt usage. Overtime police patrols are paid with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration funds administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI).

Matt Kling from the Angola Police Department cites that the warning to the citizens around the area comes ahead of time because of the amount of preventable crashes that law enforcement respond to each and everyday simply from motorists not buckling up.

Indiana law requires the driver and all passengers to buckle up and children under age eight must be properly restrained in child car seat or booster seat.