The Crossville and Fairfield Glade police departments are partnering with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office for the annual Seatbelts Are For Everyone campaign, February 1 through August 1, 2019. The statewide initiative is designed to increase seatbelt usage and child safety-restraint usage through the implementation of occupant-protection programs, public events and checkpoints throughout local communities across Tennessee.

“Seatbelts save lives. It really is that simple,” said Crossville Police Chief Jessie Brooks. “We are going to do everything we can to keep our community safe. Our families deserve it.”

2019 will be the sixth year the THSO has sponsored the SAFE campaign. Last year yielded the following results:

• 1,182 child restraint violations
• 13,165 seat belt citations
• 305 other seat belt enforcement activities

“In 2017, Tennessee’s average seatbelt usage rate was 88.51 percent,” said THSO Director Vic Donoho. “Last year, the usage rate was 88.77 percent. Through increased education, enforcement, and community involvement, we’re striving to achieve 100 percent.”

This year, participating agencies will pay special attention to nighttime seatbelt enforcement. Tennessee has seen a disproportionate percentage of unrestrained fatalities between 6:00 p.m. and 5:59 a.m. Historically, approximately 50 percent of Tennessee’s traffic fatalities involve unbelted individuals. That percentage increases to nearly 60 when nighttime crashes are accounted for.