HUTCHINSON, Kan. – The high school in USD 308 is proud to announce it has joined the Seatbelts Are For Everyone (SAFE) program for the 2015-16 school year.
SAFE is a teen-run, peer-to-peer program focusing on increasing teen seatbelt use through education, positive rewards and enforcement. The program is designed to bring awareness of the importance of wearing a seatbelt to reduce the number of motor vehicle-related injuries and fatalities within the community.
Hutch High has seven students involved in the program, Nic Smith, Hutchinson Police Department officer who serves as school resource officer at the school, said.
“Our students already have done one survey and are handing out pledge cards and candy,” Smith said. “We’re looking at sponsoring a basketball game this winter.”
The goal of SAFE is to provide students with strong traffic safety messages throughout the school year. During the program, students conduct unannounced seatbelt surveys, hold monthly educational programs, including pledge card signings and monthly drawings for gift cards, which are awarded to students that have signed a pledge card to wear their seatbelt. Law enforcement also conducts an enforcement period to emphasize the importance of wearing your seatbelt.
SAFE has been instrumental in increasing the Kansas teen seatbelt rate from 61 percent in 2009 to 84 percent in 2015. During the 2014-15 school year, SAFE was in 124 schools in 59 of the 105 Kansas counties.