Goals

• To increase the safety belt usage rate in the community.
• To prevent injuries and fatalities by increasing seat belt usage through public awareness.
• To reward seat belt usage.

Strategies

Safety belt usage rate in Grand Forks, North Dakota and East Grand Forks, Minnesota was less than average. Therefore coalition member brainstormed and planned to reward county employees for safety belt usage.

Volunteers were posted at the entrances of the parking ramp for the Grand Forks County Building. People entering the ramp were given either a coupon (if they were wearing a safety belt), or a warning (if they were not wearing a safety belt). The coupon could be redeemed for a continental breakfast (Starbuck’s Coffee, Pastries, Fruit, and Juice) in the main lobby of the Grand Forks County Building.

Posters near the continental breakfast read, “We’re getting it together with you today because you had it together.”

Results

• Positive verbal and email response by citizens and employees.
• Media coverage by The Grand Forks Herald, the local newspaper.
• The coalition plans to offer this campaign activity to other businesses or agencies in and around the community.
• This is just one project to increase safety belt use rate which will be measured in June 2006.