The Junction City Police Department has announced that beginning October 30th and continuing through November 3rd, the JCPD will join other Kansas law enforcement agencies to stop what has been compared to an epidemic in Kansas. In 2016, 44 children ages infant to 19 lost their lives due to car crashes in Kansas. Almost half of those children were not wearing seat belts.

In the health field they talk about making sure children have received their immunizations to prevent deadly diseases. Wearing a seat belt properly is also a key prevention of serious injury or death in a vehicle.

According to the 2017 Kansas observational seat belt survey, children are much more likely to be buckled up if the driver is wearing their seat belt. If the driver is buckled, about 98% of the children are restrained. If the driver is not buckled, only about 29% of the observed children were buckled.

Starting on October 30th through November 3rd, law enforcement across Kansas will be extra vigilant when patrolling around schools. Officers will issue citations to anyone who does not obey Kansas law.