TEMISKAMING SHORES (Staff) – Amid the chocolate eggs and bunnies this weekend, police have a serious reminder:

Buckle up.

Throughout the Easter weekend, Temiskaming Ontario Provincial Police will conduct a seatbelt enforcement campaign.

In a news release, the OPP say road fatalities related to the lack of proper restraint “are highly preventable,” so even one death “is one too many.”

Police say the failure of one occupant in a vehicle to wear a seat belt puts others at risk.

“A seat belt keeps you inside the vehicle during a collision and without a seat belt, passengers become high-speed projectiles.”

A driver or passenger can be charged and face a fine between $200 to $1,000 and demerit points for seat belt infractions.

Drivers are legally responsible for ensuring that passengers under the age of 16 are buckled up in a seat belt or an appropriate child car seat or booster.

The Ministry of Transportation website, at www.moto.gov.on.ca, has comprehensive information and videos about properly restraining children and car seat installation.

“Riding in a car is the single most dangerous activity we do every day. Buckle up, you are not invincible and utilize the safety devices that are available to you,” said Temiskaming OPP Inspector Brent Cecchini.