1000 SW Jackson Suite 230
Topeka, KS 66612-1274
(785) 296-1223
(785) 296-8649 (FAX)

Coordinator:
Jan Stegelman

Executive Committee:
Randall Bolin
NHTSA Region VII

Dennis Cooley, MD
Medical Advisor
American Academy of
Pediatrics, Kansas
Chapter

John Drees
Douglas County
SAFE KIDS Coalition

John Halbran
Kansas Safety Belt
Education Office

Jim Keating
Kansas State
Firefighters Association

Elena Nuss
Kansas State
Fire Marshal's Office

Cindy Samuelson
Kansas Hospital Association

Bucks Rewarded to Drivers Who Buckle Up
Safe Kids Kansas, State Farm and KDOT partner up for Labor Day safety message

Thousands of vehicles will be traveling the Kansas roadways this holiday weekend. Many families will head out on one last camping trip or getaway before school begins. Safe Kids Kansas, State Farm and the Kansas Department of Transportation want to encourage families to buckle up and drive safely to protect their most valuable asset, their children.

Today, on September 1, 2006, a safety belt awareness campaign called “Bucks for Buckles” is being held in 43 cities across Kansas. $1 bills are being distributed by local volunteers to drivers who have all occupants buckled up securely in their vehicle. Those riding unrestrained will receive educational materials about the effectiveness of seat belts and child safety seats in saving lives and reducing injuries.

“No one can predict when they will be involved in a motor vehicle crash, yet almost all of us will be involved in a serious automobile crash in our lifetime. Last year, 428 people lost their lives on Kansas roadways,” said Jan Stegelman, Coordinator of Safe Kids Kansas. “The single most effective means of protecting the lives of you and your passengers is wearing seat belts and appropriate child restraints every time you ride in the vehicle – even short distances.”

According to the 2005 KDOT Safety Belt survey, only 69 percent of those surveyed ages 14 and older, were wearing their seat belt. This compares to the national average of 82 percent. Last year, Kansas ranked 43rd in the nation in seat belt usage.

“It is important that Kansans get the message that seat belts save lives,” stated Tara Eubanks, State Farm spokesperson. “An average of 115 people die each day in motor vehicle crashes nationally; that’s an average of one death every 12 minutes. This is unacceptable.”

Forty-three cities in Kansas will be participating this year in the campaign. For a list of participating cities, see the attached file.

Safe Kids Kansas, Inc. is a nonprofit Coalition of 67 statewide organizations and businesses dedicated to preventing accidental injuries to Kansas children ages 0-14. Local coalitions and chapters are located in Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Clay, Coffey, Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Ellis, Ford, Franklin, Geary, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Leavenworth, Marion, Meade, Mitchell, Montgomery, Nemaha, Osage, Pottawatomie, Republic, Rice, Riley, Saline, Smith, Shawnee, Wabaunsee, Wilson and Woodson Counties, as well as the cities of Chanute, Emporia, Leavenworth, Norton, Pittsburg, the Wichita Area and the Metro Kansas City Area. Safe Kids Kansas is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide , a global network of organizations whose mission is to prevent accidental childhood injury.

www.kansassafekids.org