Traffic Safety

Safe Communities

Inform, educate, and empower people about health issues.

About the Licking County Safe Communities Program

The Licking County Safe Communities Coalition, comprised of representatives from health, social, law enforcement, business, fire, emergency medical service, and education organizations as well as community leaders, guides this program.

Coalition meetings held on the third Wednesday of each Month at 12 noon in the Unity Board Room of the Licking County Health Department (unless changed due to conflict). Please contact the Safe Communities Coordinator at eswanger@lickingcohealth.org or 349-6497 if you are interested in joining the coalition.

Funded through a grant from ODPS/NHTSA

Safety Belts Save Lives

Most serious crashes involve impact speeds of less than 35 mph. Fatalities involving non-belted occupants of cars have been recorded at as low as 12 mph - about the speed you would be driving in a parking lot.

Three out of four crashes causing death occur within 25 miles of home.

You are four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured if you’re thrown from the car. The forces in a collision can be great enough to fling you as far as 150 feet - about 15 car lengths.

Less than one half of 1 percent of all injury-producing collisions involve fire or submersion. But if fire or submersion occurs, you’re more likely to be unhurt, alert and capable of escaping quickly, if you are wearing a safety belt.

All belts are designed to let you reach necessary driving controls, and the newer shoulder belt retractors give you even more freedom. But in a collision or sudden stop, the belt locks in place.

A lap belt greatly reduces your chances of being seriously injured. But the addition of a shoulder belt provides even more protection. During a crash, the shoulder belt keeps your head and chest from striking the steering wheel, dashboard, or windshield.

Safety belts plus air bags are the "winning combination." Safety belts protect in all kinds of crashes and the air bag provides supplemental protection in serious head-on crashes.