Law enforcement honored for seat belt, child restraint enforcement

More than 100 Kentucky state and local law enforcement officers were recently honored for extraordinary efforts to protect drivers and their passengers, including Williamsburg Police Officer Bryson Lawson.

The occasion was the Governor’s Occupant Protection Enforcement Awards, held at the Embassy Suites in Lexington. Those receiving awards represented 91 law enforcement agencies.

“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 Kentucky 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.

“Congratulations to Officer Bryson Lawson on winning the 2023 Governors Award for Occupant Protection Enforcement. Officer Lawson led the department in issuing the most citations for seat belt and child booster seat violations,” the Williamsburg Police Department wrote on a Facebook post.

Other area officers receiving awards included: Barbourville Police Patrolman Charles Colby Patterson, Laurel County Sheriff’s Deputy Noah Ritchie, London Police Sgt. Andrew Jackson, Middlesboro Police Lt. Barry Cowan, Kentucky State Police (KSP) Commercial Vehicle Enforcement East Region Inspector Justin Kilgore, KSP Post 10 (Harlan) Trooper Sammy Faris, KSP Post 11 (London) Trooper Justin Vanhook, and Pineville Police Chief Brandon Hollingsworth, who was also a division award winner.

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.