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The school event highlighted several public safety efforts to keep holiday travelers safer, including a two-week "Click It or Ticket" Mobilization that runs through November 26 th.
In a "Quick-Click-Buckle-Up Challenge," teams of four Monument High School students competed to be the fastest at buckling up in all four seating positions of a car.
"In a fun way, these students helped us to make a common sense point of how simple it is to protect yourself by putting on a safety belt," said State Police Colonel Mark Delaney. "We urge all citizens and visitors using our roadways this holiday period to drive safely and properly buckled up, because Massachusetts police are serious about enforcing our safety belt and child safety seat laws in order to save lives and prevent injuries."
Eight people were killed on Massachusetts roadways during the four-day Thanksgiving holiday period in 2005. Since its inception here in Massachusetts in 2002, "Click It or Ticket" helped to increase safety belt use by 16% to a rate of 67% in 2006. However, Massachusetts still lags behind the national safety belt use rate of 82%.
A 2006 Massachusetts statewide observed safety belt use survey, released by the Governor's Highway Safety Bureau, found teen safety belt use was 8% lower than the statewide rate. "Because we know teens are less experienced at driving, and are more prone to taking risks behind the wheel, their low use of safety belts must continue to be a top priority," said Secretary of Public Safety Robert Haas.
Lower belt use in the Bay State has deadly consequences: of the 298 automobile and light truck occupants killed on Massachusetts roadways in 2005, 67% were unbuckled or their restraint use was unknown.
For more Click It or Ticket Mobilization and safety belt information, go to www.mass.gov/ghsb.
