Mass. campaign urges young, truck-driving men to buckle up

A safety campaign launched Wednesday urges younger male drivers to buckle their seat belts. Mr.Exen / Shutterstock

By Sanjay Salomon @SanjaySalomon

May 4, 2016

2 minutes to read

In a new safety campaign launched Wednesday, Massachusetts public safety officials made it clear they’re trying to get the attention of a specific demographic: young male drivers in trucks.

As part of the federally-funded Click It or Ticket public service campaign, the Massachusetts Highway Safety Division said it will try to deliver its message to men between the ages of 18 and 34 in an effort to get them to use their seat belts.

According to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security this age group of men have the lowest rate of seat belt usage. The department also says many men in this age group drive pickup or commercial trucks which, according to the department, falsely convinces them they will be protected in the event of a crash.

Only 54 percent of pickup truck operators and 46 percent of commercial truck drivers use a seat belt, according to the department. In the 18 to 34 age group, men who were killed in crashes were not wearing seat belts almost 59 percent of the time.

“It’s hard to get guys this age to wear their seat belts, despite all the evidence, they feel invincible,’’ said Jeff Larason, director of the Massachusetts Highway Safety Division, in a statement. “By not wearing a seat belt, they are significantly increasing their chances of getting seriously injured or killed in a crash.’’

Seat belt use in Massachusetts is 74 percent, which lags behind the national average of 89 percent.

The campaign will include television and billboard ads. One 30-second TV spot features a series of close-ups of men’s faces. As a voiceover speaks, the men suddenly lurch forward and back as if they were in a crash.

When a crash happens, the voice warns, “your head hits the window like a 10-pound sledgehammer falling from a five-story building.’’

“No matter how hard your head is, you can’t stop a crash with your face,’’ says the voice.

Over 200 local police departments will work with state police to enforce Massachusetts’s seat belt laws. Under the law, all occupants who are 13 years and older are required to use a seat belt when riding in a passenger car, truck or van. Children must be secured in an approved child seat.

Fines for breaking the seat belt laws start at $25 per violation.

Larason said seat belt usage and fatalities “have a direct correlation’’ and urges motorists to take precautions for themselves and their passengers.

“Wearing a seat belt is the single most effective way to protect yourself against impaired, aggressive and distracted drivers,’’ said Larason. “We urge motorists to buckle up no matter how short the trip, and ensure that children are properly restrained in the appropriate child seat or booster seat.’’