Buckle up for statistics
HARRISON KEELY, Sentinel Writer

Buckle up and brace yourself for new research on seat belt use in Clay County. Hayesville High School's Occupational Course of Study students are teaming with the Communities in Schools and the sheriff's office to conduct seat belt checks both on campus and off campus and display the results to the county.

Brian Burch, a Department of Transportation representative who was able to help get the signs put back on the bypass, is working with Communities in Schools on the project according to Teresa Waldroup, director of the program. She said the signs were removed when construction on Highway 64 began years ago.

"[Burch] is going to help us get that sign back up and then we'll be able to have our local law enforcement do the monthly check there and the students will do the school's monthly check. Then we'll have the percentages for the public and for the schools," said Waldroup.

"Long story short, Teressa Waldroup and I just had the discussion of utilizing the signs," Lee Beal, Hayesville High School's transition coordinator, said. "The Occupational Course of Study students would be a great connection for this project since they are required to do community projects. They'll crunch the data as part of their math component and then they'll also be able to post the data and communicate through the media what the results mean."

Beal said she hoped to have the students conduct the checks each month beginning next school year. The students in her program include Scarlet Dockery, Meridith Geraldi, Shannon Gauthier, Tre Faber, Dacey Matherson, Michael Chrisley, Matthew Payne, Joseph Patterson, Paul Anderson, Ricky Reeder and Blake Ledford.

Sheriff Joe Shook expressed optimism in the project and explained the logistics. "We'll put a deputy out here and we'll count cars for about thirty minutes or an hour. If there are a hundred cars that go by and you count and see how many of them had their seat belts on, that's where you get your average from," he said.

Shook mentioned that the state patrol uses the same method to research their statistics. He said that the inspecting officers would not give people tickets, but only count seat beltuse for the purpose of data collecting. He said he planned on assigning an officer to the task once a week.

"You've got about a 95 percent compliance with seat belts," he continued. "Most people have gotten used to it now and they've figured out it's a good deal. It saves lives, there's no question about that. I look at the signs from other counties and see what their compliance is as I go by. So if I'm looking at it, I'm sure the general public is looking at it."

"I think it's a good program," Superintendent of Clay County Schools Scott Penland said. He stated that anything the county and school can do to increase the visibility of seat belt use is important.

"Some people just need to be reminded of it. It's a habit thing. For years I didn't wear mine, but once I got in the habit of it, it's just like waking up in the morning and brushing your teeth. You just get in the car and you buckle up. That's what you do," he said. "I've got a motorcycle, and of course it doesn't have a seat belt, and I get on it and I'm thinkin' 'I need to [put on my seat belt].' But it's a habit, a safe habit. It not only saves a person's life but it helps society as a whole."

To comment on this article, email Harrison at hkeely@gmail.com.

Reader Comments

No comments have been posted. Be the first!

Other Stories With Comments:
Article	Comments
Land transfer tax-- let the voters decide	1