Bucks Rewarded to Drivers Who Buckle Up

Press Release from Safe Kids Kansas

Thousands of vehicles will travel the Kansas roadways during the Labor Day weekend. Many families will head out for the long weekend as summer ends and the school year begins. Safe Kids Kansas, in partnership with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), State Farm Insurance and the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT), want to encourage families to buckle up and drive safely to protect their most important cargo, their families.

This year, Aug. 31 - Sept. 13, a safety belt awareness campaign called “Bucks for Buckles” will be held in 44 cities across Kansas. Local volunteers will distribute dollar bills to drivers who have all occupants buckled up securely in their vehicles. Those riding unrestrained will receive educational materials about the effectiveness of seat belts and child safety seats when it comes to saving lives and reducing injuries.

“Every trip you take in a vehicle has some risk of being involved in a crash,” Safe Kids Kansas State Director Cherie Sage said. “That’s why it’s so important to be prepared by wearing your seat belt and using appropriate child safety seats and booster seats for every person, on every ride.”

According to the KDOT 2025 Occupant Protection Observation Survey, 84.7% of Kansans were wearing their seat belts, compared to the national average of 91% in 2024. Kansas saw a 1.5% decrease from 2024 to 2025. Seat belts save more than 15,000 lives yearly and are the best defense against drunk, aggressive and distracted drivers.

“Wearing a seat belt can cut your risk of a serious injury in a vehicle crash by up to 50%,” Sage said. “It takes just a few seconds to buckle up, and that simple step can help save your life. Make it a habit every time you get in the vehicle.”

For more information about safety belts or child safety seat use, call 785-296-1223 or visit SafeKidsKansas.org, SafeKids.org or find us on Facebook and Instagram: @safekidskansas.