The facts are clear: Seat belts save lives

Editor:

Shortly the white stuff will be gone and we will have our green world back. We will be going on more road trips and life will be good. We would like to remind you of a few facts that should come into play when we are driving down the road.

In 2000 car crashes cost Montana $621 million. That is about $688 for each resident of Montana. This would be a good reason to wear your seatbelts. Montana's seat belt usage has remained consistently lower than the national average — 78.9 percent vs. 85 percent.

If we were to implement a primary seat belt law, it is estimated that Montana could save 12 precious lives, 96 serious injuries and $26 million in costs. Hey, how about those reasons for the inconvenience of wearing your seat belt. Remember those precious lives could be some of your loved ones.

Also if we passed the primary seat belt law, Montana would receive about $4.9 million from the federal government. If this were your own personal budget, how would you vote?

If you could save a life, wouldn't you do it without thinking? This is exactly what you do when you get in the habit of buckling up. Please be safe and buckle up each and every time you leave the driveway.

The facts don't lie. Seat belts save lives. Buckle up.

Kathy Fanning and Vicki Wilkins

Hill County Buckle Up Coalition