Buckle Up - Every trip, every time.

Lorain County Safe Communities Coalition (SCC), conducted through Lorain County Public Health, connects with people across Lorain County to make Lorain County roads safer. One area we focus on is the importance of seat belts, to remind everyone who gets in a vehicle to always buckle up – every trip, every time. Seat belts saved nearly 64,000 lives from 2011 to 2015 in the United States - that’s enough people to fill a football stadium. Research shows that wearing a seat belt is the best way to protect yourself in a crash.

A survey conducted in May 2018 showed that just 78.6% of people in Lorain County buckle up, which is lower than the U.S. seat belt average of 90.1%. Seventeen of the people who died in crashes on Lorain County roads in 2017 were not wearing a seatbelt.

• Make it a habit - wear your seat belt every trip, every time - and make sure all passengers are buckled before you put the car in drive. Click here for information on child passenger safety 
• Spread the word - download Buckle Up Every Trip Every Time campaign materials
• Request banners, yard signs, or magnets via email

The Buckle Up Bowl

The Buckle Up Bowl is a seat belt competition among Lorain County high schools to generate peer engagement and social change around seat belts and focused driving in Lorain County.

• All participating high schools will receive a customized paper material for your school district with a buckle up message as a thank you from SCC.
• Schools compete for bragging rights and a cash prize!
• SCC members will conduct two unannounced seat belt surveys at all participating high schools: pre- and post-intervention. The post seat belt survey results will determine the winners.

What is the intervention? That's up the high school and students! All interventions are student-led - we'll supply the materials and you supply the content! Examples include: social media messaging, crashed car on campus, announcements, events, contests, and giveaways!

Get your school involved: Call 440-322-6367 or email healthed@loraincountyhealth.com

2019 Buckle Up Bowl winners

• Best Buckled High School: Avon High School
• Most Improved Seat Belt Rate: Keystone High School (improved by 24%)
• Most Creative Campaign:  Columbia High School

Check out the featured video produced by Avon High School's Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) group:

Buckle Up for a Cup & Buckle Up for Burgers

SCC partners with local Dunkin Donuts and McDonald’s during select times during the year. Unsuspecting McDonald’s and Dunkin Donuts drive-thru customers with a buckled seat belt are rewarded with a coupon for a free hamburger, apple slices, or cup of coffee. Unbuckled customers will get a reminder from a member of the SCC. Buckle up and you might be rewarded!

Resources:

• National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA)
• NHTSA Kicks Off Its Annual Seat Belt Campaign
• Grant funds for SCC come from the Ohio Department of Public Safety and NHTSA
  
  

Passionate about traffic safety?

Join the Lorain County Safe Communities Coalition. For over 25 years, we've worked to reduce injuries and deaths on Lorain County roads. Call 440-322-6367 or email healthed@loraincountyhealth.com.