The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) and star NASCAR driver Ross Chastain once again teamed up today to demonstrate the importance of wearing a seat belt to teens in Suffolk County as part of the annual statewide “Buckle Up New York, Click it or Ticket” education and enforcement campaign, which runs from May 20 until June 2.
In addition to meeting with students at Mount Sinai High School in Mount Sinai on Wednesday, May 29th, Chastain will join GTSC at A-Tech High School in Brooklyn on Thursday, May 30th to show teens how taking a few seconds to buckle up could save their lives.
“It is important to demonstrate to our young drivers that the devastating consequences of not wearing a seat belt during a crash can easily be avoided,” said Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and GTSC Chair Mark J.F. Schroeder. “Our ongoing partnership with Ross Chastain helps us grab the attention of New Yorkers and continue to promote the message to buckle up, whether you are behind the wheel or in the back seat. It’s the law and it’s one that could save your life.”
Ross Chastain, when he’s not driving on the NASCAR circuit, is an eighth-generation watermelon farmer, hence him sporting New York’s “Protect Your Melon” logo on both his uniform and his #91 Buckle Up NY Chevy for the NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Watkins Glen International in September. More than 1,500,000 watermelons labeled with “Protect Your Melon” and a “Buckle Up!” hashtags will be sold in grocery stores across the state from now until fall.
New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “Wearing a seat belt is a simple measure that dramatically reduces the risk of severe injury or death in a crash. The New York State Police is proud to partner with our law enforcement partners to strongly encourage the proper use of seat belts and child safety seats in motor vehicles. I thank the GTSC for their partnership in effort to reduce the senseless tragedies caused by those who ignore New York’s seat belt laws.”
New York has always been at the forefront of seat belt safety. In 1984, New York was the first state in the country to pass legislation requiring drivers and front seat passengers to use seat belts. In 2020, those historic seat belt laws got even tighter with the enactment of a law to also require back seat passengers to wear a seat belt or be properly restrained in a child safety seat. Data compiled by the University at Albany’s Institute for Traffic Safety Management & Research (ITSMR) shows in 2023 that New York’s seat belt usage rate hit a peak of 94%, up from 92% in 2022.
Delaware County Sheriff and President of the NYS Sheriffs’ Association Craig DuMond said, “The most effective device for saving lives and preventing injuries in a vehicle is the seat belt. Everyone must wear a seat belt or be in an appropriate child restraint device, even back seat passengers. As you get out and travel more with the nice weather remember, the Sheriffs of New York State want you to wear your seat belt because it’s smart, it’s simple, and it’s the law!”
City of Batavia Police Chief and President of the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police Shawn Heubusch said, “The members of The New York State Association of Chiefs of Police are committed to keeping our streets and roads safe for all. This includes being diligent about safety belt enforcement and education. Our member organizations pledge to continue the good work done across the state to increase compliance and reduce injury caused by unbelted passengers."
As part of its ongoing effort to make sure drivers and passengers are safe, GTSC's Child Passenger Safety Program supports training on how to properly install child safety restraints. Through this program, law enforcement and various community safety partners offer free child car seat inspections by certified child passenger safety technicians year-round. Information for parents and caregivers is available at trafficsafety.ny.gov.
For more information on occupant protection, please visit the GTSC’s website or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
About GTSC
Combined with education and enforcement campaigns, GTSC coordinates various traffic safety activities throughout the year and supports ongoing initiatives to improve pedestrian, motorcycle and bicycle safety. The GTSC also sponsors critical training for law enforcement, provides resources for teen drivers and their parents, and promotes seatbelt use statewide.
For more information about GTSC, visit https://trafficsafety.ny.gov/, or follow the GTSC conversation at Facebook and Twitter.