‘Buckle Up, Phone Down:’ Missouri S&T encourages safe driving

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On October 24, 2024

“Buckle Up Phone Down” signs have been added to parking lots across the Missouri S&T campus. Photo by Laura Studyvin/Missouri S&T.

Missouri University of Science and Technology is joining the Buckle Up, Phone Down Challenge, MODOT’s effort to encourage Missourians to drive safer. New signs have been installed in parking lots across campus to remind drivers of the two most important things they can do to prevent (or survive) a crash: buckle their seatbelts, and put their phones down.  

According to data from the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety, most Missourians do wear their seatbelts regularly — but the 13% who don’t account for more than 60% of the deaths in traffic accidents across the state. This holds true in Phelps County, where over half of fatal accidents last year involved people who were not wearing seatbelts.

Distracted driving is a major cause of dangerous accidents; the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety reports that distracted drivers were involved in 104 fatal crashes in the state in 2023. That year, Governor Mike Parson signed the Siddens Bening Hands Free Law, which outlaws the use of handheld electronic devices while driving.

Since the passage of the law, distracted drivers have been getting warnings from police officers, but changes are coming in the new year. Starting January 1, 2025, distracted drivers can be fined for violations of the Hands Free Law, with fines starting at $150 for the first offense.

The Buckle Up, Phone Down Challenge invites all Missourians to create better habits around driving safety. For more information or to join the challenge, visit modot.org/buckleupphonedown.

About Missouri University of Science and Technology

Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,000 students located in Rolla, Missouri. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System, Missouri S&T offers over 100 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top public universities for salary impact, according to the Wall Street Journal. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit www.mst.edu

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On October 24, 2024.

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