Northeast Missourians Invited to Buckle Up Phone Down

This Friday October 22nd Take the Challenge!

HANNIBAL– Gov. Mike Parson has proclaimed Oct. 22 as Buckle Up Phone Down Day in Missouri in an effort to encourage Missourians to take two simple actions to save lives on the state’s highways – fasten their seat belts and put their phones down while driving.

 

For the fifth straight year, the Missouri Department of Transportation and the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety, along with safety partners throughout the state, will mark Buckle Up Phone Down Day to encourage better driving behaviors.

“The Northeast District has created a BUPD Starter Kit that provides all the tools necessary for other entities interested in implementing the life-saving venture,” stated MoDOTs Communications Manager Marisa Ellison. “We offer fence kits that spell out “BUPD”, scripts, videos, educational incentives, and yard signs, as well,” stated Ellison. MoDOT is encouraging schools to dedicate a football game to BUPD and seatbelt checks. The kit, along with more information about the BUPD effort, can be found at http://www2.modot.org/BuckleUpPhoneDown/.

This year, in Northeast Missouri alone 84% of those killed on our roads, were not wearing a seatbelt and, statewide, nearly 720 people have died on Missouri roads, so far. It is estimated that more than 20% of car crashes across the country involve some sort of distraction, such as a cell phone.

“We encourage every organization in Northeast Missouri to participate in some way to help save lives on Missouri roads,” stated Ellison. Below is a list of organizations that have notified MoDOT of their participation in this event:

Businesses

Rider Drug Inc Pharmacy: Kirksville

Ratliff Reed Car Dealership: Kirksville

HNB Bank: Bowling Green 

Hardees:Bowling Green 

David Fiedler Agency American Family Insurance: Macon

Robert Myers American Family Insurance: Palmyra

The Missouri Bank: Warrenton

NEMO RPC

Logues Restaurant: Hannibal 

Hannibal Bus Barn

Country Kitchen: Hannibal 

Various Businesses hung up BUPD Mark Twain signs and put #BUPD on marquees

Missouri State Highway Patrol: Troop B

Schools

Bucklin High

North Shelby High

Madison High

Hannibal High

Schuyler

Wright City High

Silex High

Macon High

Palmyra High

Mark Twain High

Macon County R-IV High

Scotland County High

La Plata High

Bowling Green High

Moberly Area Community College       

Chambers of Commerce                                          

Warrenton

Kirksville

Hannibal

All Local Media

DMV

Moberly Missouri License Bureau

Memphis License Office

Paris License Office

Warrenton License Office

Mexico License Office

For more information about participating in this important event or for future events, please email necr@modot.mo.gov.

MoDOT’s mission is to provide a world-class transportation system that is safe, innovative, reliable and dedicated to a prosperous Missouri.  Please do your part to help us achieve a safe system by wearing your seat belt every time and putting your phone down while driving…for your safety and our workers.  Take the pledge – Buckle Up, Phone Down.

 

Districts Involved
Northeast
MODOT Newsroom

The newsroom is a one-stop shop for media partners to find their local and statewide communications contacts and news releases, as well as download department leadership portraits and other media.

Visit the Newsroom
Real Time Traffic

Monitor real time traffic with our online traffic map.