HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson High School is proud to announce it remains a part of Seatbelts Are For Everyone (SAFE) for the 2016-17 school year.

SAFE is a teen-run, peer-to-peer program designed to bring awareness of the importance of wearing a seat belt to reduce the number of motor vehicle-related injuries and fatalities.

During the program, students conduct unannounced seat belt surveys, hold monthly educational programs including pledge card signings and monthly drawings for gift cards, which are awarded to students who have signed a pledge card promising to wear their seat belt. Law enforcement also conducts an enforcement period to emphasize the importance of wearing seat belts.

SAFE has been instrumental in increasing the Kansas teen seat belt rate from 61 percent in 2009 to 84 percent in 2015.

During the 2014-15 school year, SAFE was in 124 schools in 59 of the 105 Kansas counties.