The goal of Buckle Up Detroit was to increase rates of safety belt use in Detroit from 68 percent to 73 percent.  (Local observation surveys were conducted to determine safety belt use before and after the campaign.) 

The multi-lingual campaign focused primarily on young males, families, and child passenger safety.  Messages promoting safety belt use were communicated through the following venues:

• Community festivals and rallies

• Churches

• State and local governments

• Print and electronic media

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES

Project partners helping the Buckle Up Detroit campaign included AAA Michigan, Baptist Pastors, Detroit Medical Center, three branches of law enforcement, the Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP), Safe Community Coalitions, and State Farm Insurance. 

The Buckle Up Detroit campaign spread its message through a variety of strategies and community-focused activities:

•  An advisory committee consisting of law enforcement, insurance, business, healthcare, faith community and city and state government representatives provided guidance for organizing and staging the campaign. Their expertise was shared with three ethnic communities via ten Neighborhood City Halls (NCH) within the city.

• Three public service announcements were produced and aired on local radio, including Arabic and Spanish language stations

• Outreach to local churches included two presentations to 30 church pastors to pass along the campaign message to parishioners via church bulletins and handouts, and to encourage participation in a campaign march.  In addition, 30 Detroit buses encouraged vehicle occupants to use safety belts with the message “Heaven Can Wait, Buckle Up.”

• Campaign volunteers attended community and youth festivals throughout July, August and September and distributed literature promoting belt use. 

• Each of the 10 Neighborhood City Halls distributed 500 door hangers with safety belt awareness information, key chains, and local city announcements.  The City Halls also received Buckle Up Detroit yard signs to distribute in their jurisdictions.

• Radio station WQBH staged neighborhood rallies in various Detroit City Hall communities, in which hip-hop gospel artists and other speakers promoted safety belt use among young people.  Two child safety seat inspections were held in conjunction with the rallies.

• As the final event of the Buckle Up Detroit campaign, a  2-mile march was held from Comerica Park to the African-American Historical Museum with marchers wearing T-shirts promoting safety belt usage.  Participants included campaign committee members, representatives from the ten Neighborhood City Halls, the Detroit High School band, and members of Detroit-area churches.