Central Bucks South Wins Bucks County Seatbelt Challenge

CB South kids just click.

The high school in Warrington won a competition among Bucks County high schools to see which student body wore its seatbelts most often.

On Tuesday, TMA Bucks (Transportation Management Association) announced that Central Bucks High School South was the overall winner of the 5th Annual Bucks County High School Seatbelt Safety Challenge.

CB South student drivers had the highest overall seatbelt use, 97 percent, compared to 16 other Bucks County high schools that participated in the challenge, the TMA said.
 
CB South also posted a winning 12 percent increase, from 85 percent in the fall to 97 percent in the spring, in seatbelt usage from the fall baseline surveys to the final surveys taken in April. It marks the first time that one school has won both categories in the challenge’s five-year history.
 
Junior class leaders Adam Remick, John Mitchell, Liz Burke and Craig Magid were presented with a pair of $500 cash grants and perpetual trophy plaques by TMA Bucks executive director Bill Rickett during a student assembly. The cash prizes are donated by TMA Bucks and must be used by the school for safety-related purposes.

Rickett also presented the students with “No Texting While Driving” signs that the TMA is donating to all Bucks County high schools and colleges. The schools can place them at parking lot exits to remind student drivers of Pennsylvania’s anti-texting law that went into effect March 8, 2012.
 
“Central Bucks High School South is very proud and honored to have won the Seatbelt Challenge this year,” said Class of 2013 House Principal Bill Miles. “First, I am grateful to the members of the junior class who embraced this initiative and worked tirelessly to promote seatbelt safety awareness school-wide. Second, and most importantly, I am thrilled that our students have clearly received the message as they routinely wear their seatbelts as drivers and passengers. Seatbelt safety awareness and distracted driving awareness initiatives give students relevant knowledge regarding potential dangers in driving and specific tools to keep themselves safe.”

Central Bucks High School South junior students were extremely creative in promoting seatbelt awareness as they created their own rap video spoof on YouTube to show to all students. Click on the media files attached to this story to view the video.
 
“Titan” the CB South school mascot was also present periodically after school in the student parking lot holding signs to encourage students to buckle up as they left school.
 
In Fall 2011, baseline surveys on seatbelt usage by student drivers were conducted at high schools throughout the county without the knowledge of the student body or administration in order to ensure the most accurate data sampling. All schools were then challenged to increase seatbelt usage and participate in the 5th Annual Bucks County High School Seatbelt Safety Challenge.

At Survival 101 sessions (PennDOT’s seatbelt program aimed at high school students) each school's results were announced, encouraging the student body to get involved and increase seatbelt usage.
 
The premier sponsor for this year’s challenge was Verizon with AAA Mid-Atlantic, McCafferty Auto Group, Senator Tommy Tomlinson’s office, Univest, McMahon Associates and Visit Bucks County also sponsoring.
 
Follow-up surveys took place unannounced in April and the winning school was chosen.