Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the U.S. Every year, more than 5,000 young adults between 16 and 20 years of age are killed in car crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It's important to remember, though, that these deaths are preventable through effective programs and policies.
DCTMA sponsored the 7th annual High School Seat Belt Challenge this year, partnering with state and local police. The goal is to work with high schools and their student organizations, such as SADD, Student Council, and the prom committee, to challenge students to always buckle up. This past Fall, DCTMA conducted seat belt counts at each participating school. We presented the results to each school and encouraged the students to wear their seat belts through working with student organizations and through peer to peer education. This spring, we conducted a second count, and the high school with the most significant increase in seat belt usage won a $500 cash prize and the Seat Belt Challenge plaque. Congratulations to our two winning schools! Arch Bishop Carroll won the $500 prize for most improved school with a 16% increase in seat belt use. A second prize of $250 was awarded to Radnor High School for 100% seat belt use!
For more information on the programs and participating high schools, contact Lauren Amway at lamway@dctma.org or call 610-892-0898.
And the winner is... Strath Haven High School! The Wallingford-based school has won DCTMA'S 6th Annual High School Seat Belt Challenge. We are pleased to announce that Strath Haven showed overall improvement in seat belt usage. The students showed a 79% usage rate in September, 2013, and increased to a 99% usage rate during this spring's counts, with only one student not buckled up.
In celebration, DCTMA today awarded the school with a $500 check and special plaque to hang in the school over the next year. The presentation was made in front of the newly unveiled SADD Mural, painted by Strath Haven student artists.
This year's High School Seat Belt Challenge was sponsored by AAA Mid-Atlantic, Boeing, Crozer, State Farm, TD Bank, Values Into Action, Wheat, and White Horse Village.
Sun Valley High School has won the 5th Annual High School Seat Belt Challenge. With an increase of almost 30 percent, students at the
Aston-based school have a reason to celebrate. On Monday, June 3, the Delaware County Transportation Management Association (DCTMA) presented a reward check for $500 to Sun Valley, plus a special plaque to hang in the school over the next year. As part of the celebration, Wired 96.5 gave all the students free ice cream and tunes to liven up the party.
Sun Valley isn't the only school which saw an increase in seat belt usage. In fact, all of the ten schools who participated had more students buckling up. Radnor High School, last year's winner, had only one student not buckled up when DCTMA conducted random seat belt checks this time around.
DCTMA, along with Public Health Management Corporation's Street Smarts Project, conducted a first round of checks back in the fall, then throughout the year, coordinated assembly presentations to the students, with the goal of increasing carpool safety awareness. DCTMA and Street Smarts completed another round of checks this spring and tracked the increases. Sun Valley was the school with the largest rise in use, and is declared the winner.
