Montpelier — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is teaming up with Williams County Safe Communities Coalition to make sure you make it to the table this Thanksgiving.
Because the Thanksgiving holiday is one of the busiest for America, more drivers will be on the roads than usual, increasing the likelihood of a motor vehicle crash.
During this kickoff to the holiday season, it’s more important than ever to stress the importance of seat belt safety with this essential reminder: Buckle Up. Every Trip. Every Time.
No matter the time of day, driving without a seat belt is deadly. During the 2020 Thanksgiving weekend, 51% of passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes at night were unbuckled, compared to 55% during the day.
Younger people continue to be overrepresented in fatal crashes and seat belt non-use.
Among young adults 18 to 34 killed while riding in passenger vehicles in 2020, more than half (60%) were completely unrestrained — one of the highest percentages for all age groups.
If you’re ejected from a vehicle in a crash, odds are that you will not survive. In 2020, 8 out of 10 (82%) of the passenger vehicle occupants totally ejected from vehicles in crashes were killed.
Wearing your seat belt is the most effective way to prevent ejection; in 2020, only 1% of passenger vehicle occupants wearing seat belts were ejected in fatal crashes, compared to 26% of those who were unrestrained.
Surviving your Thanksgiving drive this year — and making it to next Thanksgiving — can be as simple as buckling up.
In the last decade, seat belts saved the lives of more than 100,000 people in the United States. Those people are thankful they wore their seat belts. Buckle Up. Every Trip. Every Time.
“Thanksgiving is a time for celebrating gratitude with loved ones, and we want to make sure our community members arrive at their Thanksgiving destinations as safely as possible,” said Peg Buda, Safe Communities Coordinator from the Williams County Health Department.
“Whether you’re driving 10 minutes to the Thanksgiving dinner table, or 10 hours, it’s critical that drivers and passengers Buckle Up. Every Trip. Every Time.”
“We want everyone to have a safe and happy Thanksgiving, so please, make sure everyone in your vehicle is buckled before you ever turn on the car — and that includes children being in the correct car seats, too,” she said.