Making the Case for Your Rural Seat belt Program
National and State injury and fatality data leave no doubt of the need for rural seat belt programs. Therefore, it remains the responsibility of each rural community to make the case for establishing a program that meets the needs of its residents. As presented in this booklet, there are numerous models for successful programs and activities.
Gather the Facts
Gathering motor vehicle injury and fatality data, along with information on roadways on which large numbers of crashes occur, will provide the documentation needed to make your case to people and organizations in your community. In addition to the data collected by NHTSA, law enforcement agencies, hospitals, highway departments, and State Highway Safety Offices all have access to the most recently available information on specific localities. Once you have the facts, talk to others who are involved in injury prevention and control about the best approach for increasing seat belt use in your community.
Tailor the Buckle Up America Approach
As previously described, strong seat belt laws, public/private partnerships, highly visible enforcement, and PI&E are the keys to a successful seat belt program. Make sure to include strategies for each as you plan your program and gather support for its implementation.
Don’t Wait
Realistically, the risk of death and serious injuries will always be higher in rural than in urban areas. Speeds are higher and the distances traveled – both for drivers and for lifesaving emergency services when a crash occurs – will always be greater. Whether you are a private citizen, an elected official, a law enforcement officer, a health official, or someone responsible for safety programs, it is essential that you make increasing seat belt use a community safety priority.
Contacts and Resources
Each State’s Highway Safety Office is responsible for coordinating the State’s Highway Safety Program. It is your primary contact for program information and available resources. In addition, NHTSA has ten Regional Offices that oversee State programs and provide technical assistance and training. Contact information is available on the NHTSA Web site at www.nhtsa.dot.gov.
The Partners for Rural Traffic Safety Action Kit and the Building a Safe Community Buckle Up Action Plan are available online at www.nhtsa.dot.gov.
You can also visit NHTSA’s Web site at www.nhtsa.dot.gov to find other resources to augment your program efforts. Another valuable online resource is the Buckle Up America Web site at: www.buckleupamerica.org.
NHTSA is currently sponsoring three region-wide demonstration projects (2005-2006) focusing on increasing seat belt use in rural areas and among pickup truck occupants. Details on these projects and how you can become involved can be found on the following Web sites:
- Great Lakes Region-wide Rural Seat Belt Initiative:
www.greatlakesproject.org/. Covering the States of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin - South Central Region-wide Buckle Up in Your Truck Campaign:
www.buckleupinyourtruck.com/. Covering the States of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Indian Nations - Southeast Region-wide Buckle Up in Your Truck Campaign:
www.pickupsafetybelt.com/. Covering the States of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee