The Voluntary Action Center in DeKalb and the DeKalb County Police Department have become active in efforts to encourage safety belt usage and decrease injuries.

National Safety Council statistics show that about 80 percent of all injuries and fatalities resulting from car crashes occur at speeds of less than 40 mph and within 25 miles of a victim’s home.

Michelle Parrini, of the Voluntary Action Center in DeKalb, said the center has two programs involved in the promotion of safety belt usage with local students.

The first is the “Beltman” program, which introduces grammar school students to the importance of safety belts.

“Beltman” representatives visit classrooms, show filmstrips informing children of the importance of safety belts and answer students’ questions.

The children also learn the proper method of buckling a seatbelt at the presentation.

The second program involves high school students. The “Convincer Seatbelt Machine” produces a “simulated impact of a car in a car collision at 5 to 7 mph,” Parrini said.

The film “Room to Live,” is also shown at this presentation.

“I think it’s effective,” and the “kids are very impressed,” Parrini said.

DeKalb County Sheriff Roger Scott said his officers are required to wear safety belts and must “check (to see drivers are wearing safety belts) when they make traffic stops for other violations.”

DeKalb County Deputy Ralph Peterson said a police officer can issue a citation to a driver for not wearing his safety belt if the driver is stopped for another violation.

Peterson attended an eight-hour course entitled “Occupant Protection Usage in Enforcement” established by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

In this course, students learn the difference in injuries resulting from accidents when the victim does and does not wear his safety belt.

Peterson said even in minor accidents the types of injuries are less serious when a victim wears a safety belt.

However, if a police officer sees a child in a car “standing on the (front) seat” or “hanging out the window” the officer can stop the driver and issue a traffic citation.

In the case of accident reports, the occupants of the cars involved are asked if they were wearing their safety belts for “statistical purposes,” Peterson said.