Smith-Cotton High School Receives Award For Buckling Up

Participating schools launched two surprise seat belt checks at each school to measure student seat belt use before and after an educational campaign. In addition, schools had the opportunity to submit a 30-second video spot to encourage their peers to buckle up.

Park Hill High School in Platte County won the Kansas City award for the Highest Overall Seat Belt Use achieving 97 percent seat belt use. Lawson High School won the Kansas City award for the Most Improved Seat Belt Use increasing their seat belt use from 78 percent to 96 percent . Both schools will receive $500 donated by American Family Insurance to be used for future seat belt educational programs at the schools. All participating schools will receive $100 toward their safety campaigns.

Schools that reached gold (99-100 percent), silver (95-98 percent) or bronze (91-94 percent) levels of seat belt use will also receive banners to display at the schools donated by the Missouri College of Emergency Physicians.  Those schools include:

•·         Park Hill High                                    Silver

•·         Belton High                                        Silver

•·         Midway High                                      Silver

•·         Smith-Cotton High                             Bronze

•·         Raymore-Peculiar Sr. High                 Bronze

In addition to the seatbelt checks, students were encouraged to enter a 30-second PSA video competition.  North Platte High School won third place in the state. Their school will also receive money to further seat belt educational programs at their schools.  The winning videos can be viewed at http://www.savemolives.com/.

"We're proud of our local schools for showing a commitment to buckling up and helping other teens understand the importance of wearing a seat belt every time they ride in or drive a vehicle," Said Laurel McKean, regional coordinator for Battle of the Belt. "Seat belts save lives."

Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for people 15-20 years old. Results of a 2014 survey indicate 67 percent of teens are not wearing their seat belt putting them at greater risk to get killed or injured in traffic crashes.

Battle of the Belt was originally brought to southwest Missouri by the Missouri Emergency Nurses Association and St. John's Hospital. In 2006, the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety, in conjunction with American Family Insurance, took the competition statewide and continue to sponsor this year's program with the Missouri College of Emergency Physicians.

Is your school ready to take the challenge to buckle up? Learn more at http://www.savemolives.com/.