Posted
5-15-08
Seat Belt Caravan Coming To RSHS Friday Morning
ROCK SPRINGS (WYDOT) – A Seat Belt Caravan that tells the story of decisions two Wyoming drivers made that changed their lives is traveling the state this week to encourage seat-belt use and will arrive in Rock Springs on Friday morning.
The caravan will meet with students at the Rock Springs High School west parking lot at 9 a.m. on May 16.
Sgt. Duane Ellis of the Wyoming Highway Patrol will lead presentations from individuals affected by a choice to buckle up or not. A four-year old ATV crash survivor and his mother will make a brief testimonial as part of the presentations. The child was in child restraint seat secured by a five point safety harness while riding on an ATV with a family member. His mother credits the seat and harness with his survival in the crash. Lt. Marty Noonan of the WHP will give a brief accounting of losing his daughter Kristi in an auto crash where she was not wearing her seat belt.
The caravan, coordinated by the Wyoming Department of Transportation's Highway Safety Office, WHP and the Wyoming Seat Belt Coalition, is part of the National May Mobilization for Seat Belt Enforcement. Local representatives from the Rock Springs Fire Department, Rock Springs Police Department, Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office, and WYDOT are scheduled to be on hand to provide support for the caravan.
Approximately 61 percent of those killed in traffic crashes in Wyoming during 2007 were not wearing seat belts. The goal of the groups sponsoring the Seat-Belt Caravan is to increase the seat belt-use rate in Wyoming, which was observed to be 72 percent of drivers and front-seat passengers during a statewide survey last June.
The public is invited to participate in Friday's events to show support for seat-belt use and help reduce deaths and injuries from traffic crashes in Wyoming.
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