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PR-10/11/2007: The San Mateo County Seat Belt Challenge is On!

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 11, 2007 San Mateo County Health Department Contact: Beverly Thames, (650) 573-3935 THE SAN MATEO COUNTY SEAT BELT CHALLENGE IS ON! San Mateo, Calif. -- High school students are challenging their peers to use their belts as they participate in the second San Mateo County High School Seat Belt Challenge sponsored by San Mateo County Health Department's Injury Prevention Program and the California Office of Traffic Safety. This year Half Moon Bay, Hillsdale, Mills, Peninsula, Sequoia, and South San Francisco high schools are competing to see which school has the best overall safety belt usage rate. Last year's top three ranked schools had impressive rates - Sequoia (95%), Half Moon Bay (94%) and Mills (92%); however, the goal is to see 100 percent safety belt usage rates at every high school in the county. Despite overwhelming evidence that safety belts save lives, millions of Americans still do not buckle up every time they are in a motor vehicle - especially our nation's teens. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, teens have the highest fatality rate of any age group in motor vehicle collisions. The fatality rate for drivers 16 to19 years of age, based on miles driven, is four times that of drivers 25 to 69 years of age. Of those fatally injured, six out of ten teen drivers and two out of three teen vehicle occupants are unrestrained. Reasons for the high fatality rate among teen drivers include inexperience, indulging in high-risk behaviors (such as speeding), driving under the influence, distracted driving and lack of safety belt use. Since July 2006, four San Mateo County teens have died in motor vehicle crashes; one was unrestrained. Increased seat belt use among teens is a priority for the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS). Each year OTS funds High School Seat Belt Challenges throughout the state. The San Mateo County Health Department received a two-year grant in July 2006 from OTS to engage local high school students in the seat belt challenge. The 2007 High School Seat Belt Challenge kicked off on September 24 and will run through October 19. This year the schools will be vying for a cash awards in the amount of $400 (1st Place), $300 (2nd Place), $200 (3rd Place) and $100 ( Most Improved Rate). For more information on the San Mateo County High School Seat Belt Challenge, contact Barbara Pletz at (650) 573- 2564. ###