TOLEDO—In a collaborative effort aimed at promoting road safety, the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Findlay and Bucyrus districts, in conjunction with the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department, AAA, and the Toledo Mud Hens baseball team, organized the “Buckle Up – Batter Up Saved by the Belt” event at Fifth Third Field.
On Thursday evening, prior to the Toledo Mud Hens’ game against the Rochester Red Wings, twenty individuals were inducted into the prestigious “Saved by the Belt” Club during a moving pregame ceremony. These individuals, hailing from northwest Ohio, owed their lives to the proper use of safety belts, which protected them from life-threatening injuries sustained in local traffic accidents. Each inductee received a “Saved by the Belt” certificate personally signed by Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Andy Wilson and Colonel Charles A. Jones, the Patrol superintendent.
Colonel Jones expressed his gratitude for the partnerships that made the event possible, stating, “These Saved by the Belt award recipients are living testimonies to the effectiveness of safety belts. Each of the people celebrated proves that everyone needs to buckle up every trip, every time.”
Recent data from 2022 revealed a staggering number of 527 traffic fatalities in Ohio resulting from accidents where safety belts were available but not utilized. Of these fatalities, 72 occurred on the roadways of northwest Ohio.
The “Saved by the Belt” Club, a joint initiative by the Ohio Department of Public Safety and the Ohio State Highway Patrol, aims to acknowledge and recognize individuals who have experienced firsthand the benefits of wearing safety belts.
Along with the certificate, each inductee was presented with a “Saved by the Belt” license plate bracket and a special commemorative “Buckle Up – Batter Up Saved by the Belt” license plate.
Before the game commenced, the honorees received recognition on the field and participated in a group photograph. The state troopers presented the colors, and four-year-old Jackson Plotts of Napoleon, along with Trooper Dana R. Skinner, the 2022 State Trooper of the Year, threw out the ceremonial first pitches. Notably, the event also featured the presence of “Teddy Trooper,” vintage Ohio State Highway Patrol cars from the Cleveland Police Museum, and a Patrol bagpiper.
For the most up-to-date statistics and information regarding safety belts, interested individuals can visit the Patrol’s Safety Belt Dashboard at https://www.safetybeltdashboard.ohio.gov/.
The distinguished individuals inducted into the “Saved by the Belt” Club, along with details of their life-saving incidents, are as follows:
Kianna M. Green and Brailey L. Campbell, residents of Ada, were inducted after their safety belts prevented life-threatening injuries in a crash on state Route 309 in Allen County on March 7.
Laura N. Bowyer, a resident of Jenera, joined the club thanks to her safety belt, which protected her from sustaining life-threatening injuries in a crash on state Route 235 in Hancock County on March 13.
Steven A. Overmyer, a Fremont resident, became a member of Ohio’s “Saved by the Belt” Club after his safety belt saved him from sustaining life-threatening injuries in a crash on state Route 162 in Huron County on April 13.
Nancy M. Perkins, a resident of Norwalk, joined the club after her safety belt prevented life-threatening injuries in a crash on state Route 18 in Huron County on February 3.
Kimberly A. Baker, a resident of Waterville, became a member after her safety belt protected her from sustaining life-threatening injuries in a crash on U.S. 20 in Lucas County on April 17.
Meghan J. Feldman, a resident of Temperance, Michigan, joined Ohio’s “Saved by the Belt” Club after her safety belt prevented life-threatening injuries in a crash on state Route 2 in Lucas County on April 20.
Jason Callahan, a resident of Morral, became a member of the club thanks to his safety belt, which protected him from sustaining life-threatening injuries in a crash on state Route 309 in Marion County on April 19.
Ronald Boose III, a Toledo resident, joined the club after his safety belt prevented life-threatening injuries in a crash on state Route 590 in Sandusky County on February 1.
Jenny Beverage, along with her daughters Taylor and Nicole, residents of Plymouth, became members of Ohio’s “Saved by the Belt” Club after their safety belts protected them from sustaining life-threatening injuries in a crash on Henry Road in Richland County on April 24.
James Waugh Jr., a resident of Clyde, joined the club thanks to his safety belt, which saved him from sustaining life-threatening injuries in a crash on state Route 412 in Sandusky County on March 2.
Skyler, Kylie, and Jackson Plotts, residents of Napoleon, joined Ohio’s “Saved by the Belt” Club after their safety belts prevented life-threatening injuries in a crash on U.S. 6 in Sandusky County on March 5.
David P. Douglas, a resident of Castalia, became a member of the club thanks to his safety belt, which protected him from sustaining life-threatening injuries in a crash on County Road 175 in Sandusky County on March 14.
Travis J. Lash and Kenneth L. Sheffer, residents of Tiffin, joined Ohio’s “Saved by the Belt” Club after their safety belts prevented life-threatening injuries in separate crashes. Lash’s crash occurred on county Route 19 in Sandusky County on March 23, while Sheffer’s crash occurred on county Route 219 in Sandusky County on January 9.
Michael Brinkman, an Arlington resident, became a member of the club thanks to his safety belt, which saved him from sustaining life-threatening injuries in a crash on Interstate 75 in Wood County on February 25.