The annual Governor’s Occupant Protection Enforcement Awards ceremony, held on August 21 at the Campbell House in Lexington, brought together representatives from 130 different agencies across Kentucky to honor their efforts in promoting roadway safety.
Among the awardees was Officer Jeffrey Childress of the Glasgow Police Department, recognized for his outstanding work in enforcing seat belt usage.
Officer Childress was acknowledged for his diligent efforts between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024, during which he recorded a total of 96 seat belt enforcement cases. His work reflects a broader statewide initiative to increase seat belt use and reduce traffic fatalities on Kentucky’s roads.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), seat belts, when worn correctly, significantly reduce the risk of fatal injuries to front-seat occupants—by 45% in passenger vehicles and by 60% in pickup trucks, SUVs, and minivans. The use of child restraints is equally vital, with NHTSA data showing that properly installed child restraints reduce the risk of fatal injuries by 71% for infants and by 54% for toddlers in passenger cars.
In light trucks, SUVs, and minivans, the reduction in fatal injuries is even more pronounced, with properly deployed child restraints lowering the risk by 58% for infants and 59% for toddlers. Despite these compelling statistics, more than half of those killed in vehicle accidents on Kentucky roadways each year are not properly restrained in a seat belt, car seat, or booster seat.
Kentucky’s current seat belt usage rate is 86.9%, leaving room for improvement, according to safety officials. Efforts like those led by Officer Childress are critical in encouraging greater compliance and ultimately saving lives.
The Glasgow Police Department expressed pride in Officer Childress’s recognition and reiterated its commitment to making local roadways safer. “We want to congratulate Officer Jeffrey Childress for receiving the Governor’s Occupant Protection Enforcement Award and helping make our roadways safer to travel,” read the department’s official statement.
The annual awards ceremony serves as a reminder of the ongoing importance of traffic safety enforcement, particularly as Kentucky continues to work toward increasing seat belt usage statewide. For the officers on the front lines of these efforts, the recognition highlights both their dedication to public safety and the impact that small actions, like ensuring drivers and passengers are buckled up, can have on the greater community.