As millions of travelers flood the roads this Thanksgiving, the St. Lawrence County Traffic Safety Program is partnering with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to share an important lifesaving reminder: Buckle Up – Every Trip. Every Time.

During the 2015 Thanksgiving weekend, 301 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes nationwide, and 53 percent were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the fatal crash. Nighttime proved even more deadly, with 57 percent of Thanksgiving weekend crashes occurring at night. Much like drunk driving, these deaths represent needless tragedies for families across America. These deaths could have been completely prevented with the simple click of a seat belt.

“Year after year, we are heartbroken by stories of family members who are killed on their way to Thanksgiving festivities,” said Mary Davison, information specialist for the traffic safety program. “Nearly half of all drivers and passengers killed in crashes on Thanksgiving weekend in 2015 were not wearing seat belts at the time of their fatal crash. This statistic is all the more upsetting when we know that seat belt use is one of the simplest ways to stay safe while riding in a vehicle.”

As of Nov. 1, 2017, New York Vehicle and Traffic Law has added an amendment that requires taxi and livery drivers—as well as front seat passengers in taxis and liveries—to be buckled up.

NHTSA estimates that proper seat belt use reduces the risk of fatal injury to front seat passengers by 45 percent, and the risk of moderate to serious injury by 50 percent. Wearing your seat belt doesn’t just save your own life. Tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that an unbelted passenger sitting behind a driver doubles the chances that the driver will die in a collision. This study reinforces findings by the University of Buffalo that showed that unbelted back seat passengers are “back seat bullets” that put themselves and all vehicle occupants at risk.

NHTSA’s research also reveals that males are more likely to be unbuckled than females in a fatal crash, and that younger drivers are also at greater risk of being unbuckled. In fact, in 2015, 52 percent of the males killed in crashes were not buckled up at the time of the crash, compared to 42 percent of females. The 13- to 15-year-old and 18- to 34-year-old age groups had the highest percentages (57% and 58%, respectively) of occupants killed who were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the fatal crash.

“Our goal with the Buckle Up — Every Trip. Every Time. seat belt awareness campaign is to save lives — period,”. “Hopefully, this campaign reminds Thanksgiving travelers, and all drivers, about the importance of buckling up – every trip, every time,” said Davison. “Thanksgiving should be a happy time, not a tragic one.”