First responders and medical providers came together Monday outside The University of Toledo Medical Center to stress the importance of seat belt use for motorists and passengers.
“Putting your seat belt on takes about 10 or 15 seconds. Not putting on a seatbelt can cost your life at the scene, but it can also cause dramatic injuries,” said Dr. Aela Vely, medical director for trauma and surgical critical care at UTMC. “Your ability to talk, walk, function as a human can be completely changed for the rest of your life.”
Dr. Aela Vely, medical director for trauma and surgical critical care at The University of Toledo Medical Center, speaks about the importance of seat belt use during Monday press conference at UTMC.
The event, which also included representatives from the city of Toledo, the Toledo Police Department, the Maumee Fire Department, the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department, served to launch the local Click It or Ticket campaign aimed at increasing seat belt use.
Data released last year by the Ohio Department of Public Safety showed statewide seat belt usage in Ohio had dipped to 81% in 2022, which was the lowest level in 18 years.
The most recent figures from the Ohio State Highway Patrol show 61% of those killed in crashes on Ohio roads were not wearing their seat belts.
“We come from a place of love,” Vely said. “We love our neighbors, and we want to see them go home safely.”
First responders and medical providers came together Monday outside The University of Toledo Medical Center to stress the importance of seat belt use for motorists and passengers.
