Bernie, Missouri - Missouri schools took the challenge to buckle up and made it click with students. Across the state, 105 schools participated in the 2014 Battle of the Belt Challenge-a competition to raise seat belt use among teens. In Southeast Missouri, 23 schools participated in the challenge.

Participating schools launched two surprise seat belt checks at each school to measure student seat belt use before and after an educational campaign. In addition, schools had the opportunity to submit a 30-second video spot to encourage their peers to buckle up.

Bernie High School received top honors with 100 percent seat belt usage during this Battle of the Belt Challenge. In addition to having the highest overall percentage among Southeast Missouri schools, Bernie High School was one of only eight schools across the state to achieve 100 percent usage.

An assembly was held at Bernie High School March 12, with guest speaker Penny Lorenz, Assistant Director of ThinkFirst Missouri. Sharee Galnore of Team Spirit and Sandy Taurone of the Southeast Coalition for Roadway Safety awarded the school a Gold Banner and $500 check from American Family Insurance during the assembly.  

During the 2014 challenge, East Prairie High School was named Most Improved in the Southeast District with a 97.42 percent increase.

In addition, the following Southeast Missouri schools achieved gold (99-100 percent usage), silver (95-98 percent usage) and bronze (91-94 percent usage) levels:

*Saxony Lutheran High School 99.00% (Gold Banner)
*Notre Dame Regional High School 98.34% (Silver Banner)
*Oak Ridge High School 97.44% (Silver Banner)
*Thomas W. Kelly High School 94.67% (Bronze Banner)
*Norwood High School 94.12% (Bronze Banner)
*Lesterville High School 92.86% (Bronze Banner)
*Clearwater High School 90.72% (Bronze Banner)
Jackson High School will also receive a participation banner for the greatest number of students surveyed.  

Traffic crashes are a leading cause of death for people 15-20 years old. Results of a 2013 survey among Missouri teens indicate 33 percent of teens are not wearing their seat belt putting them at greater risk to get killed or injured in traffic crashes. Seven out of 10 teens killed in Missouri traffic crashes are unbuckled.

Battle of the Belt was originally brought to southwest Missouri by the Missouri Emergency Nurses Association and St. John's Hospital. In 2006, the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety, in conjunction with American Family Insurance, took the competition statewide and continue to sponsor this year's program with the Missouri College of Emergency Physicians.

Is your school ready to take the challenge to buckle up? Learn more at http://www.savemolives.com/.