Eighty-one percent of occupants were buckled up last week when Southeast Missouri State University Policespearheaded a seat belt check on campus Feb. 13.

All occupants who were seat belt compliant were rewarded with a Charm Pop to indicate University Police were charmed that motorists and their passengers had clicked it and buckled up.

The Department of Public Safety checked 325 vehicles in which 416 occupants were checked for seatbelt use during the Occupant Protection Survey.Seat belt use was observed in 30-minute samplings at three locations on campus as part of a statewide effort to get more motorists to buckle up and save more lives.

Despite evidence proving the benefits of wearing a seat belt, 13 percent of Missouri motorists are still not making it click. Even more concerning, more than six out of 10 Missourians killed in traffic crashes are unbuckled and 63 percent of occupants killed in 2018 crashes in Missouri were unrestrained.

Seat belts are your single best defense in a crash, statedDPS Officer David Valentine. We encourageyouto makethesimple, smart choice to buckle up and Arrive Alive.

For more information on Missouris seat belt use, visitwww.saveMOlives.com. Buckle Up and Arrive Alive.