FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2003
CONTACT: SID GAULDEN, 803-896-8755
SOUTH CAROLINA TEAMS UP WITH PRIVATE INDUSTRY TO OFFER INCENTIVES TO MOTORISTS FOR PLEDGING TO WEAR SEAT BELT
GRAND PRIZE IS SPORTFISH BOAT VALUED AT $19,000
COLUMBIA -- The South Carolina Department of Public Safety today kicked off its Buckle Up, South Carolina campaign offering motorists the chance to win several prizes donated to DPS, including a Scout 175 Sportfish boat valued at $19,000. All South Carolina licensed drivers have to do to win is register and take the pledge to buckle up.
“We are fortunate to have the support of private donors who care about making South Carolina a safer place to live and drive,” said DPS Director B. Boykin Rose. “We are trying something a little different, hoping that if we get people to buckle up to win then they just might develop a habit that will save their lives.”
The public education portion of the campaign will begin this week when television public service announcements begin airing around the state. The enforcement portion will run May 19-June 1. Once again, officers will place their focus on “enforcement zones” or stretches of highway that are shown to have the highest number of fatal collisions. The primary killers on our highways include: failure to yield right of way, speeding, drinking and driving and disregarding sign/signal.
The national emphasis will be on teens and young drivers. In South Carolina, our public education emphasis will be on the South Carolina male: ages 16-24. In a recent national seatbelt survey, the lowest belt use was among young adults (16-24) and use generally increased with age among people 16 and over.
In addition to the boat, other prizes include two Americana grills donated by Ducane and two annual state park passes donated by Parks, Recreation and Tourism. All licensed South Carolina drivers are encouraged to buckle up to win at select Wal-Mart stores or to register at the Buckle Up, South Carolina web site at www.buckleupsc.com. Registration begins May 12 and ends June 15. Ten finalists will be chosen and invited to Columbia on June 20 for the drawing.
When people register to win, they will be asked to place a Buckle Up, South Carolina decal on their vehicle to show that they have taken the safety belt pledge and remind themselves and others to always buckle up.
Last year, 1,053 people were killed in South Carolina; 62 percent of vehicle occupant fatalities were not buckled up.
Every hour, at least one person dies in this country because he or she didn’t buckle up. Failure to use a seat belt contributes to more fatalities than any other single traffic safety-related behavior.
Other bordering states also will be running similar campaigns this Memorial Day in an effort to save lives on our highways. The national occupant restraint effort is called “Click It or Ticket” and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has purchased air time for Click It or Ticket television commercials all over the United States, including here in South Carolina. However, the national Click It or Ticket campaign and the South Carolina-run Buckle Up, South Carolina campaign are two different campaigns.
Buckling up is the law in South Carolina. Our seat belt law is secondary for persons 18 and older. This means that a law enforcement officer may not stop a vehicle for a violation of the seat belt law in the absence of another traffic violation. However, the law becomes primary for persons 17 and younger. An officer may stop a vehicle and issue a citation when he observes an occupant 17 or younger who is not wearing a seat belt or secured in a child safety seat.
Two different television public service announcements about the campaign have begun airing statewide. For a list of enforcement zones, contest information or safety belt information, please log onto www.buckleupsc.com.
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