Ohioans urged to use seatbelts in new Govenor, Lt. Governor campaign
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lieutenant Governor Jim Tressel launched a new campaign on Tuesday aimed at encouraging Ohioans to use their seatbelts.
Within the news release announcing the campaign, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shared statistics that indicate that seatbelts have saved over 375,000 lives since 1975.
Lt. Governor Tressel illustrated this statistic at the Ohio State University stadium, explaining that the number of people saved by seatbelts could fill the seats of the university's stadium four times.
Additionally, it is noted in the release that the new traffic safety campaign is a follow-up to Lt. Governor Tressel's "Hard Hitter" campaign, which used football imagery to outline the physical impact of an unbuckled passenger in the event of a crash.
A 30-second video of that "Hard Hitter" campaign can be found here.
According to the release, a traffic accident at speeds of 50 miles per hour could impact an unrestrained occupant in a vehicle with eight times the force of a 240-pound linebacker running at full speed.
"Wearing a seatbelt every time you get in the car isn't just about protecting yourself; it's about protecting your loved ones," said Governor DeWine.
DeWine continued," Too many families in Ohio have been forever changed by crashes involving those not wearing seatbelts. This campaign reminds Ohioans that buckling up improves your chances of making it back to your loved ones at the end of the day."
On January 9, 2026, it was announced by the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) that although fatal crashes in 2025 decreased by 3% overall statewide, fatal crashes in the Valley region did not see a decrease based on preliminary data.
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