NKY Law Enforcement Honored for Seat Belt, Child Restraint Enforcement

The Governor’s Occupant Protection Enforcement Awards was held in Lexington this week.

Photo by the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety. 

(Frankfort, Ky.) – More than 100 Kentucky state and local law enforcement officers have been honored for extraordinary efforts to protect drivers and their passengers.

At a ceremony Wednesday, Governor Andy Beshear gave out Occupant Protection Enforcement Awards.

Ninety-one law enforcement agencies were recognized for seat belt and child restraint enforcement.

Local officers received an award are:

• Deputy Daniel Tracy, Boone County Sheriff’s Department
• Officer Tyler Creech, Edgewood Police
• Officer Robert Martin, Erlanger Police
• Officer Michael Stanaland, Florence Police

“Our law enforcement are the heroes who work to keep our families safe by ensuring everyone is buckling up and using correct car seats and boosters for children,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “Their efforts are saving lives and I am grateful as Governor, and as a dad, for their dedication to our commonwealth and our people.”

Awards were presented by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s (KYTC) Office of Highway Safety (KOHS) to those with the most occupant protection citations in each agency and in each division from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023. Award recipients received a plaque, while the top division winners were presented with the Highway Safety All-Star Award – a commemorative baseball bat from Louisville Slugger.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), seat belts, when worn correctly, are proven to reduce the risk of fatal injuries to front-seat occupants by 45 percent and by 60 percent in pickup trucks, SUVs and minivans. Also, according to NHTSA, properly installed child restraints reduce the risk of fatal injuries by 71 percent for infants and by 54 percent for toddlers in passenger cars.  In light trucks, SUVs and minivans, properly deployed child restraints reduce the risk of fatal injuries by 58 percent for infants and 59 percent for toddlers.

Each year more than half of those killed on Kentucky’s roadways are not properly restrained in a seat belt, car seat or booster seat. Kentucky’s current seat belt usage rate is 86.9 percent.