1. Sheriff award/seat belt enforcement

October 13, 2005 For more information: Dawn Olson, NDDOT Traffic Safety, (701) 328-4434 NDDOT Communications, (701) 328-4444 NDDOT honors four counties for substantial increases in safety belt usage Four North Dakota counties were honored by the North Dakota Department of Transportation at the recent NDACo conference for achieving improved seat belt usage of more than 10 percent. NDDOT Director David Sprynczynatyk presented representatives from Stutsman, Ramsey, Wells, and Cass counties with engraved awards commemorating their accomplishments. The greatest improvement was in Stutsman County, with an improvement in usage of 14.4 percent, for a total usage of 79.3 percent. Ramsey County improved by 14.1 percent to a usage rate of 69.4 percent; Wells County improved 11.3 percent to a usage rate of 59.1 percent; and Cass County's 10.9 percent improvement increased its overall usage rate to 82.7 percent. Overall safety belt usage statewide has risen by 8.9 percent, to 76.3 percent. "Especially worth noting is that, for the first time, a North Dakota county is rated as having greater than 80 percent seatbelt usage," said Sprynczynatyk. "We are extremely pleased at this past year's success in increasing seatbelt use, and encourage all counties within the state to continue their efforts in this very important area." During the presentation, Sprynczynatyk also touched on Toward Zero Deaths, a cooperative program based on building partnerships between community groups and state agencies. "Increasing seatbelt use is just one element in Towards Zero Deaths," said Sprynczynatyk. "The program is a comprehensive strategic approach to traffic safety that NDDOT has adopted, which is based on the principle that there is no acceptable number of traffic fatalities." Toward Zero Deaths identifies four major focus areas- the four "e's" - for communities to reduce traffic injuries and fatalities: education, enforcement, engineering and emergency medical services. For more information about Toward Zero Deaths, and how to become involved with the program, contact Marsha Lembke in the NDDOT Office of Traffic Safety at (701) 328-4865 or at mlembke@state.nd.us. # # # www.state.nd.us/dot/ Providing a transportation system that safely moves people and goods.