(From the Ohio Department of Transportation)

In an effort to reduce serious and deadly crashes, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) will join several other state transportation departments to mark Buckle Up Phone Down Day on Wednesday, October 29. This national effort aims to bring attention to two of the most common factors in deadly crashes each year.

“Drivers can protect themselves and those nearby by simply wearing a seatbelt and putting away their phones,” said Governor Mike DeWine. “These small actions make a big difference because they vastly increase the odds of surviving a crash or preventing one in the first place.”

Ohio has recorded a steady decline in overall traffic deaths over the last three years, but too many people continue to die on Ohio roadways.

“Our mission is to save lives. Buckling up and putting your phone down are not suggestions, they are life-saving commitments,” said ODOT Director Pamela Boratyn. “When you get behind the wheel, your sole purpose is to make safe choices that ensure you and everyone else on the road make it home safely.”

Buckle Up
According to the Ohio Department of Public Safety and Ohio Traffic Safety Office, a 2024 survey showed the state’s seat belt compliance rate was only 85.2%, below the national average of 91.2%.

Last year, 64% of people killed in Ohio traffic crashes were not wearing a seatbelt when one was available – the fifth straight year that rate was over 60%.

In July, Governor DeWine and Lieutenant Governor Jim Tressel announced a new safety campaign to raise awareness about how vehicle occupants who fail to buckle up threaten the safety of others traveling with them.

You can learn more about Ohio’s efforts to increase buckle up rates at buckleup.ohio.gov.

Phone Down
In Ohio, it is illegal to use or hold a cell phone or electronic device in your hand, lap, or other parts of the body while driving on Ohio roads. If an officer sees a violation, they can pull you over.

Since Ohio strengthened distracted driving laws in 2023, the number of crashes and fatalities have steadily declined. In 2022, there were 10,280 crashes with 35 deaths tied to distracted driving. Last year, there were 8,570 crashes with 27 deaths in crashes where distraction was a factor. So far this year, there have been 6,508 crashes and 21 deaths. Distracted driving crashes are under-reported as it is difficult to prove distraction in many crashes.

You can learn more about Ohio’s effort to combat distracted driving at phonesdown.ohio.gov.

History of Buckle Up Phone Down Day
Buckle Up — Phone Down Day is a cooperative safety observance promoted by transportation and safety agencies across the U.S. The challenge asks drivers to commit to two straightforward actions: buckle every occupant in the vehicle and put phones away while driving. The program is supported by state departments of transportation, highway safety offices, and law enforcement partners who use the day to amplify public education and enforcement messages encouraging safer behavior behind the wheel.

The Buckle Up Phone Down concept was launched in 2017 by the Missouri Department of Transportation. MoDOT took the message on the road across the state urging people to sign a pledge to take both important actions for every trip. To date, more than 56,000 individual pledges and 760 business pledges have been signed in Missouri. More than a dozen other states, including Ohio, have joined the national effort.