ARIZONA
Buckle Up Cochise County

 

PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS PROGRAM AREA(S)
  Innovative or non-traditional approach
Outstanding collaborative effort
Increased media visibility
  Occupant Protection
       
TYPE OF JURISDICTION    
  Multi-jurisdictional    
       
TARGETED POPULATION(S) JURISDICTION SIZE
  General Population   112,300


PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Statistics for Cochise County, Arizona indicate that, in 1998, 78 percent of accidental deaths in the county were attributable to motor vehicle crashes. A high percentage of these deaths involved non-use or improper use of occupant restraints. Data for 1998 also revealed that 72 percent of traffic crash-related child fatalities involved an unrestrained child. Although Arizona's occupant protection laws include a secondary seat belt law and a primary child safety seat law, it was apparent to county traffic safety advocates that traditional enforcement and education efforts should be enhanced by non-traditional programs.


GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The Buckle Up Cochise County program was developed in 1999 to reduce motor vehicle- related injuries and fatalities in Cochise County and its local jurisdictions. To help achieve this goal, the following objectives were created:

  • Building a partnership of traffic safety advocates
  • Strengthening traditional occupant protection enforcement and education activities
  • Developing an alternative approach to traditional occupant protection programs
  • Targeting school-age children


STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
In 1999, the Cochise County Child Fatality Review Team embarked on an effort to save lives through the design of a new, innovative program, Buckle Up Cochise County. The new program was developed through close collaboration among team members, local law enforcement agencies and the Cochise County Justice Courts. Additional support came from the City of Sierra Vista's fire department, local elementary schools, the City of Huachuca, and Sierra Vista's local newspaper. Buckle Up Cochise County is an innovative departure from traditional occupant protection programs, featuring a two-part focus:

  • Part I: Enforcement—Targets the unrestrained driver, through aggressive enforcement activities, coupled with an alternative sentencing procedure:

    The Cochise County Department of Public Safety, the county sheriff, the Sierra Vista Police Department, and the Huachuca City Police Department, collaborated in an aggressive enforcement campaign tied to an alternative sentencing strategy, designed by several local judges. In lieu of a more traditional fine, defendants in occupant protection violation cases are ordered to write a 300 to 500 word essay in support of safety restraint use. Essays are to be based on one of 10 scenarios taken from actual traffic crashes in Cochise County. After the court receives the completed essay, it is submitted to the newspaper for publication

    As part of this alternative sentencing strategy, violators of occupant protection laws will be ordered to purchase a child safety seat. The child safety seats are then donated to Sierra Vista's fire department for disbursement to needy families

  • Part II: School Presentations—Target third grade students, to encourage a lifelong habit of seat belt use. Traffic safety advocates will rely on the serendipitous pressure children can place on their loved ones to "buckle up."

    A team of enforcement agencies and community service agencies have collaborated on a curriculum appropriate for third grade students. County teachers have agreed to conduct pre- and post-presentation testing


RESULTS
The enforcement portion of the Buckle Up Cochise County program was initiated early in 2000. Five essays have been submitted, and four were published in the newspaper.

The school presentations were also initiated early in 2000, although pre- and post-presentation test results are not yet available.

 

FUNDING
  Arizona Governor's Council
on Head and Spinal
Injuries (32 months):
$65,000
CONTACT  
 

Linda Sanders
Grant Coordinator
Cochise County Child Fatality Review Team
P.O. Box 1118
Hereford, AZ 85615-1118
(520) 803–1504


NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION

SUMMER 2000