August 18, 2025 3:30 a.m.  

For the remaining days of August, through the end of September, the Roseburg Police Department has some extra patrols out working traffic enforcement, with a specific focus on safety belt use, distracted driving, speeding, and driving under the influence.

An RPD release said the focused patrols are made possible due to grants received from Oregon Impact and the Oregon Department of Transportation.

The release said seat belts have been proven to be one of the best ways to save lives in a crash. Yet many still don’t buckle up. Not wearing a seat belt is a habit that will be passed on to impressionable youth, who in turn will think it’s safe not to buckle up.

RPD said distracted driving is one of the fastest growing safety issues on the roads today. Distracted drivers are not just a threat to themselves; they are a danger to everyone else on the road. The national distracted driving effort focuses on ways to change the behavior of drivers through legislation, enforcement, public awareness and education.

Drivers should be on the lookout for specific enforcement campaigns over the next two months.