Southwest Coalition for a Safe Community coordinator Becky Byzweski knows what it takes to entice people to buckle their safety belts. In August of 2004, Becky met with TechLink, Inc. CEO Renae Polensky to increase safety belt use at that business.

TechLink, Inc. is a center that provides data verification for clients. At the start of the project, TechLink, Inc. employed 25 people, of which only 64 percent buckled up. The remaining 36 percent of employees indicated that they never buckle their safety belts. Becky and Renae began making plans that would change those percentages.

Announcing company participation was the beginning of a seatbelt campaign. Details of the campaign and results of the baseline safety belt survey, conducted prior to the campaign, were announced to all employees. Teams were developed and upcoming plans were discussed. The thought of winning prizes brought many smiles to the table. Becky presented safety belt information to the employees and handed out a few incentive items as reminders for buckling up. Employees were asked to sign a pledge to make a conscious effort to buckle up during the campaign and to make it a life change for them and their families. The cost (insurance premiums, health care costs, etc.) of not buckling up was discussed in depth.

Over the course of the campaign, which lasted just over a year, monthly newsletters went into payroll envelopes along with bookmarks and flyers. Videos on crashes and buckling up were shown to the staff during the day and at staff meetings. One of the most successful projects planned was a poster contest. Teams were to develop a poster that would tie buckling up into a theme for the company. Over a two-week period, eight posters were designed and then judged by a team consisting of three coalition members. Prizes were awarded to the top three teams and T-Shirts were designed for each employee from the winning poster. The Seat Belt Convincer was also used as an important instrument in the campaign.

Over the course of the campaign, safety belt rates continued to climb, with a final rate of 93 percent of employees wearing safety belts. Hats off to both TechLink, Inc. and SWSCC. For more information on this campaign contact Becky Byzweski at 701-227-0131 or beckyb@dickinsoncap.org.