The South Carolina Highway Patrol has teamed up with agencies in North Charleston, Goose Creek, Mount Pleasant, Charleston, and Charleston County to run a “Buckle Up” initiative through June 1. The various police agencies across the state are participating in TV ads and educational outreach programs to encourage seat belt use.
In 2006, 72% of SC residents who were wearing their seat belts lived through car crashes. Compare that to this years statistics: There have been 359 traffic fatalities so far in South Carolina in 2008, and 182 of the victims were not wearing seat belts. That’s 50% of the traffic fatalities.
Police are reminding citizens that 75% of all crashes occur within 25 miles of home, so seat belts need to be worn on short trips too. Your chances of surviving an accident are 50% greater if you are belted in.