The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission (LHSC), in partnership with Southern Laboratory School, kicks off of the “Seat Belts Look Good On You” campaign today. This campaign aims to encourage seat belt usage during the Thanksgiving holiday season. With the Bayou Classic and the Thanksgiving Holiday next week, an increased number of drivers will be on the roads.

In East Baton Rouge Parish from 2022-2024, there were 494 traffic crashes involving non-seat belt use. African-Americans accounted for 52% of individuals involved in these crashes, which resulted in serious injuries and fatalities.

LHSC Executive Director, Lisa Freeman is very gratified that Louisiana’s seat belt usage rate has increased to a record high rate of 88.4%, noting that Louisiana is striving toward a higher rate more in line with the national average of 91.2%. Chanita Vazquez, LHSC Occupant Protection and Public Engagement Program Coordinator further noted that “While we’ve made progress, there’s still work to be done to reach or surpass the national average. This is why collaborations with schools such as Southern Laboratory School are important.”

Southern Laboratory School and LHSC’s partnership is valuable. Young people not only represent the future of our roadways but also serve as powerful voices for safety. The school’s cheerleaders developed a cheer to promote seat belt use. It premiered today, allowing us to extend this important message to future generations and encourage safe-driving habits that will last a lifetime.

“Southern University Laboratory School has partnered with the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission to support the state’s seatbelt safety campaign,” Principal Nadia Seals said. “Our cheerleaders produced a short video promoting the importance of buckling up, making the message fun and engaging. We appreciate this partnership and are committed to supporting safety initiatives that benefit our Lab family and community.”

As thousands of fans head to the Bayou Classic next week, LHSC urges all travelers to take a moment to buckle their seat belts and prioritize safety on the road. Whether you’re going to the game, joining tailgate activities, or simply traveling to take part in the festivities, fastening your seat belt remains one of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce the risk of severe injury in a crash.

The following spokespersons participated in today’s kickoff: Chanita Vazquez, Occupant Protection and Public Engagement Program Coordinator, Louisiana Highway Safety Commission; Trooper Shelby Mayfield, Troop A Public Information Officer, Louisiana State Police; Lt. Gregory Rogers, Public Information Officer, Southern University Police Department, Southern Laboratory School; Director Herman Brister Jr., Southern Laboratory School; and Southern Laboratory Cheerleaders.