Buckle Up

A new program to promote seatbelt usage for Haskell County teenagers.

January 13, 2011By S.R.O. Derrick Ploutz

In response to numerous vehicle wrecks in 2010 involving Haskell County students, the Haskell County Sheriff’s Office is starting a program to promote seatbelt usage with Haskell County teenagers.  To begin this program, I did a survey of seatbelt usage of Sublette High School students while sitting is school zones last week.  The day of the survey, I observed 62 SHS students, who I could see definitely were either wearing or not wearing their seatbelts,

and observed that 22 out of 62 SHS students were buckled up - or a total of 35.48% of our students wearing their seatbelts that day.  The best seatbelts usage was among those students who were driving, at 46%.  I observed that only 20% of students, in a car with another teenage driver, were wearing their seatbelts.  The most alarming number I observed was only 13% of students riding with an adult driver (mainly parents) were buckled up. 

The program we are implementing will reward those students who are observed wearing their seatbelts.  Students will receive a small prize from law enforcement on days designated for observation.   Those students’ names will then be entered

for a larger prize to be awarded at the end of the month.  All the students who receive a small prize will also have their names entered for a grand prize drawing at the end of the school year.  The prizes will be from area business participating in this program.

I would like to encourage everyone reading this to take the time to buckle up.  I would also like to make a special request that all parents start talking to your kids about wearing their seatbelts.  

Statistics don’t lie 
SEATBELTS SAVE LIVES