The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has launched the 2014 “Be Ready. Be Buckled.” student art contest organized by the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Belt Partnership. Open to students in kindergarten through sixth grade with relatives or sponsors in the commercial truck and bus industries, the contest educates kids about highway safety and urges commercial drivers to buckle up on every trip.
According to recently released data compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2012 (the most recent year available) 697 occupants of large trucks were killed in crashes. Further analysis revealed that approximately 40 percent were not wearing safety belts.
FMCSA will accept contest submissions through Feb. 28, 2014. Students can submit their artwork by mail to the following address:
CMV Safety Belt Partnership
c/o CVSA
Attention: Lisa Claydon
6303 Ivy Lane, Suite 310
Greenbelt, MD 20770
Artwork will be evaluated in two categories: one for kindergarten through second grade, and another for third through sixth grade. Twelve winners will be selected in March 2014 and their artwork will appear in the 2015 “Be Ready. Be Buckled.” contest calendar. All 12 students will also be honored at a ceremony at USDOT headquarters to be held in the spring.
To learn more about the contest, go to: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/commercial-motor-vehicle-safety-belt-program
