May 15, 2008

JEFFERSON CITY - Buckling up only takes seconds, but these seconds could save your life in a traffic crash. The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety is joining with state and local law enforcement May 12 through Memorial Day for an aggressive national “Click It or Ticket” program to crack down on unbelted drivers and save lives. Missourians also will be reminded to buckle up through state and national advertisements. “Seat belts clearly save lives. But unfortunately, too many folks still need a tough reminder, so we are going to be out in force buckling down on those not buckling up,” said Capt. Tim Hull of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. “We don’t want to lose a single person in a traffic crash if it can be helped.” A driver involved in a 2007 Missouri traffic crash had a 1 in 32 chance of being killed if they were not wearing a seat belt. However, when a driver wore their seat belt, their chance of being killed was only 1 in 1,329. “Many drivers take the attitude that ‘it will never happen to me,’ but fatal crashes happen every day to all types of people,” said Leanna Depue, chair of the coalition’s executive committee. “So unless you want to risk a ticket, or worse – your life, please remember to Buckle Up and Arrive Alive.” Wearing a seat belt is the most effective way to reduce injuries and fatalities in a crash because it provides protection from being ejected and keeps motorists from smashing into windshields, dashboards and other passengers. “Wearing your seat belt costs you nothing and not wearing it can cost you everything,” Depue said. Nationally in 2006, 72 percent of passenger vehicle occupants involved in a fatal crash who were buckled up survived the crashes. When worn correctly, seat belts have proven to reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants by 45 percent – and by 60 percent in pickup trucks, SUVs, and minivans. Yet, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly one in five Americans still fail to regularly wear their seat belts when driving or riding in a motor vehicle.