Crime & Safety
Saved By the Belt: Shorewood Residents Got Crash Course in the Importance of Seat Belts
Shorewood Police Officer Nick Forster honored local motorists for surviving horrific car crashes because they were responsible enough to use their seat belts.
As if it wasn't good enough to walk away intact from a violent car crash, nine lucky people also received a nice award for wearing their seat belts, courtesy of the Shorewod Police Department and the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Shorewood police Officer Nick Forster presented awards to three of nine crash survivors during last week's village board meeting.
Forster said officers from the Shorewood Police Department compile reports from accidents that would have been "beyond survivable" if the vehicle occupants were not wearing seat belts. He then forwards the reports to IDOT, where staffers select those to be honored with "Saved By The Belt" awards.
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The increase in safety belt awareness through such programs as Saved By The Belt has cut down car crash casualties in Shorewood, Forster said.
"As for injury crashes, we have less of them, and they're less severe," he said.
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Forster said the department has nominated even more crash survivors for Saved By The Belt awards for 2011.
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