TOLEDO – On Thursday, the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP), in partnership with the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department (TLCHD), American Automobile Association (AAA), Vision Zero and the Toledo Mud Hens, highlighted the life-saving impact of safety belts during the fourth annual Buckle Up – Batter Up “Saved by the Belt” event at Fifth Third Field.
During the event, Lieutenant Colonel Joshua Swindell, Patrol assistant superintendent, Bob Kazmierczak, AAA, and State Rep.
Michele Grim delivered remarks, stressing the importance of safety belt usage. Two honorees, Maddox Treece and Jordan Grosjean, spoke about their crashes and shared why buckling up matters.
The Buckle Up – Batter Up “Saved by the Belt” event is an annual initiative that recognizes Ohio crash survivors whose lives were saved because they were wearing a safety belt.
The program brings traffic safety outreach into a community baseball setting, underscoring how one simple decision can prevent serious injury or death.
Each of the 17 survivors were presented with a “Saved by the Belt” certificate by Lieutenant Colonel Swindell, Captain William Bowers, Findlay District commander, Muddy the Mud Hen, mascot for the Toledo Mud Hens, and our event partners. The certificates are signed by Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Benjamin Suver and Colonel Charles A. Jones, Patrol superintendent.
In addition to the certificate, they also received a special Buckle Up – Batter Up “Saved by the Belt” license plate.
“The ‘Saved by the Belt’ program is a powerful reminder of how one decision can save a life,” said Colonel Jones.
“Each of tonight’s honorees experienced a serious crash in northwest Ohio, and wearing a safety belt helped prevent even more significant injuries. Their experiences highlight why this program remains essential and why choosing to buckle up is so important.”
Outside of the stadium, the Cleveland Police Historical Society and Museum in partnership with the Ohio State Highway Patrol Retirees’ Association displayed vintage cruisers along with OSHP enforcement vehicles.
According to 2025 Patrol statistics, 417 people in Ohio were killed in crashes where a safety belt was available but not used. Of those fatalities, 40 occurred on northwest Ohio roadways.
Safety belts save lives and that is why the OSHP and our partners are reminding everyone to buckle up every time they get into a vehicle.
For more information and statistics on safety belt usage and traffic safety, visit the [Ohio Statistics and Analytics for Traffic Safety (OSTATS) Dashboards www.ostats.dps.ohio.gov.