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Home  News Latest Safe kids launches Click It or Ticket
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Safe kids launches Click It or Ticket |
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Wednesday, 07 May 2008 |
 HEALTH AD WINNERS – UMS students took part in making posters for an anti-smoking unit in Health class at UMS and were awarded certificates for their poster ads by Christy Nelson, RN from the Pondera County Health Department. She also talked at an assembly on the danger of smoking and smokeless tobacco. From the left is Todd Boehmler, Health/PE instructor, with poster winners Rebecca Brown, Logan Gouchenour, Nelson, Alex Nesbo, Cari Lytle, and Skylar Shirley. I-O Photo by Buck Traxler
The proportion of unbuckled deaths at night is considerably higher than the alarming 46 percent of passenger vehicle occupants who were killed and were not wearing their seats belts during daytime hours across the nation that same year.
That’s why Pondera, Toole and Teton Counties Safe Kids Safe Communities announced on Monday that it is joining with state and local law enforcement agencies and highway safety officials May 19 to June 1 to launch an aggressive national Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement mobilization to increase seat belt use and reduce highway fatalities – with a new emphasis this year on convincing more motorists to buckle up – day and night.
“Research shows us that there is a problem with drivers and passengers not buckling up at night – when the risk of a fatal crash is greatest,” says Jackie Bonser, Pondera, Toole and Teton Counties SKSC Coordinator said.
She goes on to add, “Clearly this is an indication that these individuals are not taking the law seriously. That’s why state, county and city law enforcement agencies will be out in force making sure that all passengers, in all vehicles, are buckled up – day and night.”
Bonser stated that regular seat belt use is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes. She continued to say that in 2006, 72 percent of passenger vehicle occupants involved in a fatal crash who were buckled up survived the crashes, and that 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 nearly one in five Americans (18 percent nationally) still fail to regularly wear their seat belts when driving or riding in motor vehicles, according to NHTSA’s observational seat belt studies.
Stepped-up law enforcement activities will be conducted during the national Click It or Ticket enforcement mobilization.
The mobilization is being supported by a projected $7.5 million in paid national advertising and additional state advertising to encourage all motorists to always buckle up.
“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 who are not buckled up,” said Eddy Erickson, Pondera County Sheriff Department.
Erickson adds, “Wearing your seat belt costs you nothing, but not wearing it will. So unless you want to risk a ticket, or worse – your life — please remember to buckle up day and night – Click It or Ticket.”
For more information, please visit www.nhtsa.gov.
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