CANTON, Ohio (May 6, 2022) – Health and safety officials in Stark County are working together to prevent fatal vehicle crashes and near misses – that is the goal behind the 18^th annual Seat Belt Challenge, taking place on Saturday, May 21. The event allows area teenagers to learn the importance of seat belts and responsible driving.

Teens, parents and family members are encouraged to attend the 2022 Seat Belt Challenge, a free, fun-filled event being held at Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. Registration is at 9 a.m., and the event starts at 10 a.m.

Students from area high schools are expected to compete in the Seat Belt Challenge. Each four-student team competes in a timed obstacle race, which includes buckling-up in an Ohio Army National Guard Humvee and wearing “fatal vision goggles” to simulate alcohol impairment while running through an obstacle.

The Seat Belt Challenge includes other fun activities such as the vertical jump challenge, K9 demonstrations and free cotton candy and popcorn for participants. In addition, Q92 WDJQ radio will be broadcasting live.

All attendees will be entered into a raffle to win prizes including Halsey tickets, Apple AirPods, Sluggers & Putters passes, Rubber Duck tickets, Sky Zone passes, gift cards, car care buckets and much more.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics show that in 2019, 45% of teen drivers who died were unbuckled. Even more troubling, when the teen driver involved in the fatal crash was unbuckled, nine out of 10 of the passengers who died were also unbuckled.

Another startling fact is that almost 39% of those killed in fatal traffic crashes in Stark County during 2021 were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.

Teens see a driver's license as a step toward freedom, but that doesn’t mean they’re necessarily ready for the road. One thing is certain: teens are not ready to have the same level of driving responsibility as adults. Teen drivers have a higher rate of fatal crashes, mainly because of their immaturity, lack of skills and lack of experience. They speed, they make mistakes and they get distracted easily – especially if their friends are in the car. To help teens stay safe behind the wheel, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have a three-stage graduated driver licensing (GDL) system that limits high-risk driving situations for new drivers. This approach can reduce a teens crash risk by as much as 50%.

“It only takes about three seconds to buckle a seat belt, but it is the single most effective way to avoid being killed or seriously injured in a crash,” said Lori Leonard, trauma injury prevention coordinator at Aultman Hospital.

“Auto travel is a quintessential American passion, but it’s also a risky maneuver,” said Kevin Thomas, president, northeast region for AAA Ohio Auto Club. “AAA enthusiastically supports this – and all efforts – to help our young drivers and riders ‘get there’ safely.”

The 2022 Seat Belt Challenge is presented by the following partners: Aultman Health Foundation, Canton Chair Rental, Canton Public Health, C. Massouh Printing Co. Inc., North Canton Police Department, Ohio Army National Guard, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Q92 WDJQ Radio, Stark County Safe Communities and the Stark County Sheriff’s Office.

The sponsors include Advance Auto Parts, Biery Cheese, Esber Beverage, Ohio Department of Public Safety, O’Reilly’s Auto Parts, Pizza Oven, Sky Zone, Sluggers & Putters, Smith Ambulance and Starbucks.

ADDITIONAL STATISTICS:

• In 2021, there were a total of 33 fatal crashes with a total of 39 fatalities in Stark County. Fifteen of the fatalities were seat-belt related or lack of seat belt usage.
• The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report shows the largest six-month increase ever recorded in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System’s history. An estimated 20,160 people died in motor vehicle crashes in the first half of 2021, up 18>4% over 2020. That is the largest number of projected fatalities in that time period since 2006.
• In addition to the traffic fatality data, NHTSA also indicated that incidents of speeding and not using a seatbelt remain higher than during pre-pandemic times.

About Safe Communities
Stark County Safe Communities is a program developed to establish and/or expand partnerships to achieve safer, healthier communities throughout Ohio and in return reduce costs associated with injury. The Stark County Safe Communities Coalition works with law enforcement agencies, local governments, schools, businesses, health departments, hospitals and community and advocacy organizations to reduce traffic injuries and fatalities in efforts to promote community-based solutions to address transportation safety and other injury problems.  For more information visit www.sheriff.co.stark.oh.us/SafeCommunity/sc-links.htm.

About Aultman Health Foundation
The Aultman Health Foundation is a nonprofit healthcare organization serving Stark and surrounding counties. The integrated healthcare system includes Aultman Hospital, Aultman Orrville Hospital, Aultman Alliance Community Hospital, the locally managed health insurance provider AultCare, The Aultman Foundation and Aultman College. With 1,032 beds, over 1,000 providers and a team of more than 7,000 employees, Aultman is Stark County's largest provider of healthcare services. For more information, visit www.aultman.org.