ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The Ohio State Highway Patrol is reminding everyone to buckle up this holiday season and continue to do so every day.

Since 2016, there have been 2,738 people killed in crashes in Ohio due to not wearing an available safety belt.

“Seat belts save lives and reduce the risk of serious injury,” said Gov. Mike DeWine. “Wearing a safety belt not only protects the driver, but everyone in the vehicle.”

In 2021, Ohio’s safety belt usage rate was 84.1 percent, a decrease from 85.9 percent in 2019. Unfortunately, this illustrates that some Ohians still do not buckle up.

“Your safety belt offers you the most protection when worn properly,” said Lt. Maurice Waddell, commander of the St. Clairsville Post. “When safety belts are not used or improperly worn, potential for crash-related injuries and death increases dramatically.”

Ohio’s safety belt law remains a secondary violation; however, troopers will continue zero-tolerance enforcement when motorists are stopped for other violations and are found to not be wearing their safety belt. Since 2016, more than 615,000 people have been issued seat belt citations.

Troopers encourage everyone to buckle up every trip, every time.