Project Characteristics Program Areas Innovative Relatively Inexpensive Occupant Protection Coalition Building Targeted Audience Jurisdiction Religious Communities         Law Enforcement State of Maryland

Goals

• To increase seat belt and child safety seat use in Maryland.
• To encourage partnerships between religious leaders and members of law enforcement.

Strategies

The need to increase seat belt and child safety seat use was coupled with the knowledge that the religious community was especially well-suited for raising issues such as the individual’s role in preserving life.  Members of the Maryland Committee for Safety Belt Use, Inc. knew that religious leaders are respected members of the community; they have the ability to convey the importance of buckling up to their congregations in a thoughtful and provocative manner in order to engender a new spirit of personal responsibility.

The committee also knew that members of law enforcement were looking for new and unique ways to encourage people to buckle up.  They encouraged law enforcement to join in by persuading them to use the campaign in the National Law Enforcement Challenge, or Chief’s Challenge.  Police agencies would get credit if they reached out to their faith community.

A letter was given to law enforcement to use as a recruitment tool to work closely with people in the community.  The letter discussed the national seat belt mobilization and gave dates.  It also included statistics and a plea for help in communicating the importance of personal responsibility in the use of seat belts and child safety seats.  A response form was included with the letter, including the name and address of the religious organization and an indication of whether or not the organization would participate in the campaign.  Forms were to be returned to the respective law enforcement agency.

If a religious organization signed on with the campaign, law enforcement members would then deliver a packet containing bulletin announcements (in English and Spanish,) flyers, and bookmarks.  It also included fans in the shape of a heart with “Somebody Loves You – Buckle Up Religiously” on the front and, on back, a thank you from Maryland’s Chief’s Challenge with the agency phone number.

Results

• The campaign was so well-accepted by the faith-based community that they continued it year after year and asked for parking lot signs.
• Numerous new partnerships were made between law enforcement and the communities.
• The campaign helped Maryland law enforcement win the Chief’s Challenge.
• This campaign, among others and a standard seatbelt law, has helped increase the seatbelt use rate to 91.1% in 2006.

Funding: Contact: Costs were not identified for this project as it changed over the years and was done many different ways.      Barbara Beckett 8462 Kenton Road Pasadena, MD 21122 410-437-3917 Jurisdiction Size: Multi-jurisdictional