It is “National Buckle Up Week” and Wednesday night Bangor police officers were reminded of the importance of wearing seat belts and enforcing the laws regarding their use.

Bangor police officers Larry Webber and Larry Ellis recently attended an occupant protection safety course at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. On Wednesday they told their fellow officers that the MCJA was “pushing for tougher enforcement” of seat-belt laws.

Maine law requires any child under 1 year old to be fastened in a child safety seat while traveling in a motor vehicle. There are no exeptions to this rule, “not even for on-duty police officers,” said Webber.

“If you are transporting an infant for any reason and the infant is under 1 year old you must put a child safety seat in the cruiser,” said Webber.

Children between the ages of 1 and 4 must be in a seat if they are riding with a parent or guardian. Children riding with a friend or a relative do not have to be in child safety seats, but must wear seat belts, Webber said.

Any child between the ages of 4 and 16 must wear a seat belt when riding in a vehicle.

“You do have the right to stop someone when you see children jumping around or standing in a moving car. You don’t need any other excuse,” Webber said.

Ellis and Webber said in 1988 three police officers in Los Angeles, Calif., were killed during an accident that involved two police cruisers. There were four officers involved in the accident. The only one that lived was wearing a seat belt, said Ellis.

“It’s necessary that we wear seat belts on duty, but we are here to tell you to wear them off duty as well,” he said.

The two officers provided tips for proper seat-belt use. The seat belt should be worn low on the hips rather then around the waist. A seat belt worn around the waist could result in internal injuries if the person wearing it is in an accident, Webber said. He also advised the officers to make sure their seat belts were not twisted.

“A twisted seat belt will rip you open like a knife. Make sure it’s flat,” he said.

Another common, but dangerous practice, occurs when a vehicle’s passenger straps the seat belt and then puts the seat back to take a nap.

“If you do this you have just rendered the seat belt useless. There is no legal violation, but that passenger will slide right underneath the belt if there is a collision. This is especially important for children,” said Webber.