JEFFERSON CITY – Longer days and warmer weather mean summer fun is almost here. As you gear up for a weekend excursion, or maybe even a road trip with family and friends, make sure everyone in the vehicle is buckled up for every trip. The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety is joining with state and local law enforcement May 20 – June 2 in the national “Click It or Ticket” enforcement campaign to highlight the importance of buckling up. Along with wearing a seat belt, they want to remind motorists put the phone down, Buckle Up Phone Down.
“Sixty-one percent of Missouri fatalities since the first of this year have been unbuckled vehicle occupants,” said MoDOT Assistant to the Highway Safety and Traffic Engineer, Jon Nelson. “Missouri’s seat belt use remains consistently below the national average. Too many people are unnecessarily putting their lives at an increased risk. Plain and simple, seat belts save lives. Please buckle up and ensure everyone in the vehicle with you has their seat belt on before you drive.” Drivers are the first level of prevention in traffic crashes. It’s important to give 100% focus to the task of driving, which includes putting down or turning the cell phone off when driving. Wearing a seat belt is the most effective way to reduce injuries and fatalities in a crash. When worn correctly, seat belts can reduce the risk of death for front seat occupants of passenger cars by 45%.
If you know anyone who does not buckle up when they drive, please ask them to change their habit. Help us spread this life-saving message before one more friend or family member dies needlessly. Seat belts save lives, and everyone—front seat and back, child and adult—needs to remember to buckle up every trip, every time.” For more information on the Click It or Ticket mobilization, please visit www.saveMOlives.com or www.nhtsa.gov/ciot.