(MSC News)--Beginning Monday, February 29th through March 13th, the Kansas Highway Patrol will join area law enforcement agencies to stop what has been an epidemic for the past several years.

In 2015, 13 teens lost their lives due to car crashes in Kansas; 40% of those teens were NOT PROPERLY RESTRAINED.

In an effort to change this trend, law enforcement across the  area will be extra-vigilant when patrolling around schools. For more than thirty years, officers have educated and warned passengers and drivers regarding the importance of using restraints while in their vehicle.

There should be no surprises when it comes to this enforcement effort. Officers will issue citations to any individual who refuses to obey the traffic laws, whether it is for speeding, texting or failing to buckle up.

Among those participating locally in the High Visibility Seatbelt Enforcement Campaign are the Brown County Sheriff’s Department, Nemaha County Sheriff’s Department, Hiawatha Police Department, Horton Police Department and Seneca Police Department.