“Buckle Up, Phone Down” Reaches Pledge Milestone

More people across the state are pledging to take steps to be better drivers. MoDot says 10,000 people have now signed on to their “Buckle Up, Phone Down” challenge. Buckle Up, Phone Down was created in 2017 as a way to help reduce distracted driving and encourage more people to use their seatbelts. The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety says cellphone use contributed to 2,580 crashes across the state in 2017. Last year, there were 391 known fatalities involving people who were not buckled up. Highway Safety and Traffic Engineer Nicole Hood says the goal for Buckle Up, Phone Down is to get 20,000 pledges by 2020.