COLUMBUS, Ohio (WLIO) — The state of Ohio is encouraging motorists to buckle up as part of a new seatbelt safety campaign aimed at reducing traffic fatalities.
According to the National Traffic Safety Administration, seatbelts have saved more than 375,000 lives nationwide. A new public service announcement highlights that statistic by featuring Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel standing inside Ohio Stadium, noting the number represents filling the stadium four times over.
State officials say the campaign is designed to remind drivers and passengers that wearing a seatbelt significantly improves a person’s chances of making it home safely to loved ones each day.
Recent crash data shows that 62 percent of people killed on Ohio roadways since 2021 were not wearing a seatbelt. Tressel emphasized that buckling up every time you get into a vehicle is one of the most important steps drivers and passengers can take to protect themselves.
