Gov. DeWine & Lt. Gov. Tressel Logos
*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:*
January 13, 2026
*MEDIA CONTACTS:
*Dan Tierney: 614-644-0957
Jill Del Greco: 614-644-0957
*Governor DeWine, Lt. Governor Tressel Urge Ohioans to Buckle Up with New Seatbelt Campaign*
(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jim Tressel today announced the launch of a new seatbelt campaign reminding Ohioans about the importance of buckling up.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seatbelts have saved over 375,000 lives since 1975. Lt. Governor Tressel illustrates this statistic at The Ohio State University in Columbus, explaining that the number of people saved by seatbelts could fill up Ohio Stadium four times. The campaign uses photos of fathers, mothers, children, and friends in each seat of the stadium to demonstrate that each life matters.
“Wearing a seatbelt every time you get in the car isn't just about protecting yourself; it's about protecting your loved ones,” said Governor DeWine. “Too many families in Ohio have been forever changed by crashes involving those not wearing seatbelts. This campaign reminds Ohioans that buckling up improves your chances of making it back to your loved ones at the end of the day.”
"Every seat in Ohio Stadium represents a life that matters — someone's parent, child, teammate, or friend," said Lt. Governor Tressel. "Wearing a seatbelt every time you get in the car is one of the most important things you can do. It can make the difference between getting home safely and a loss that changes a family forever."
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Lt. Governor Tressel at Ohio Stadium [ [link removed] ]
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*WATCH: Buckle Up, Every Time* [ [link removed] ]
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The new traffic safety campaign is a follow-up to Lt. Governor Tressel’s "Hard Hitter" [ [link removed] ] campaign, which used football imagery to illustrate the physical impact of an unbuckled vehicle occupant on another passenger during a traffic accident. A crash at speeds of 50 miles per hour has the potential to hurl an unrestrained occupant with eight times the force of a 240-pound linebacker running at full speed.
Last week, Governor DeWine announced [ [link removed] ] that traffic fatalities have decreased in Ohio for the fourth consecutive year. But, the data also shows that crashes involving vehicles outfitted with seatbelts, nearly 62% of individuals killed from 2021 to 2025 chose not to wear a safety belt, equating to nearly 2,500 people.
The new media campaign was produced in partnership between the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Ohio Department of Public Safety.
For more information, visit www.buckleup.ohio.gov [ [link removed] ].
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