TORONTO - Provincial police Commissioner Julian Fantino says the five seconds it takes to buckle up can mean the difference between life and death.
Fantino commented as all 165 provincial police detachments and local police forces in Ontario prepare to launch the annual spring seatbelt campaign.
The campaign runs through Sunday, April 27.
On roads patrolled by provincial police, 117 people died in crashes last year as a result of not being buckled up, a 14.7 per cent jump over 2006.
So far this year, 22 people not wearing seatbelts have died on those roads, an increase of seven over the same period last year.
In addition to checking for seatbelt compliance, police will also be looking for improperly installed child seats.
