Effingham, IL – Illinois State Police (ISP) District 12 Commander, Captain Kelly Hodge, announced that District 12 Troopers will conduct Occupant Restraint Enforcement Patrols (OREP) in Clark, Clay, Cumberland, Effingham, Fayette and Marion Counties during the month of April. OREP allows the ISP to target an area with saturation patrols that focus on traffic violations and related compliance with safety belt and child safety seat laws. Safety belt enforcement zones will also be set up to ensure the driver and passengers are buckled up. Illinois law requires all vehicle passengers (front and back) to be buckled up! Safety belts are one of the most effective safety devices in vehicles today, estimated to save over 12,000 lives each year. Over half of vehicle occupants killed in a traffic crash were not properly buckled up. The objective of this program is to increase compliance of occupant restraint laws through education, child seat inspections, and enforcement. Greater awareness, acceptance, and use of occupant protection equipment will save many lives. This project is funded through the Illinois Department of Transportation, Division of Transportation Safety.