County Joining New 'I Will Survive' Seat Belt Campaign

The Will County Sheriff’s Office was chosen by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to participate in a demonstration project to decrease unbelted crashes in suburban areas.  

With the support of the Illinois Department of Transportation Highway Safety Office, the Sheriff’s Office and IL State Police will collaborate to conduct increased enforcement and public outreach activities from June 17h through Sept. 15.  

Research indicates that more than 80% of all fatalities from unbelted crashes occur within a ten mile radius of an urban area, while less than a third of crashes occur within the urban areas themselves. 

The majority of crashes are happening in the densely traveled buffer zones, otherwise known as the suburbs. In an effort to curb roadway deaths and injury, National Highway Traffic Safety Association is working with select suburban law enforcement agencies to customize proven countermeasures and best direct limited resources to save lives. The Chicago suburbs were carefully selected to participate in the program.

The Sheriff’s Office and State Police will step up traffic enforcement for the duration of the program, using a combination of announced and unannounced patrols. Officers plan to attend community events, use social media and work with corporate partners to spread the I WILL Arrive Alive-Click It or Ticket message.  

Surveys will be conducted before and after the seat belt interventions to gauge the level of success through usage rates and public knowledge of the campaign. The results will be used to decrease unbelted fatalities and injuries in suburban areas throughout the country.

In 2011, seat belts saved an estimated 11,949 lives nationwide according to NHTSA. 52% of the 21,253 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2011 were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash. The state’s 2012 seat belt use rate stands at 93.6% with Will County’s rate at 83.2%. Although these compliance rates appear high, our goal is always 100% in saving lives.