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(NewsDakota.com) – The North Dakota Department of Transportation raised awareness of seat belt safety Wednesday morning by displaying a crash vehicle outside of Jamestown High School.

It’s part of a statewide campaign this week in 11 cities to raise awareness of the national Click It or Ticket Campaign, which runs May 21 to June 3. Highway Patrol Sergeant Josh Rude says extra officers will be out on the roads those days.

Rude says putting the crumpled SUV outside the school is a good way to raise awareness with young drivers about the dangers of not wearing your seat belt.


Nicole Turchin, who helped organized the display, says the reaction from students was interesting, saying some of them had looks of shock on their faces when seeing the vehicle, which was damaged in an actual crash.

Signs displayed near the vehicle stated that in 2011, one unbelted occupant died every five days in North Dakota; one crash occurred every 28 minutes in North Dakota; and two-thirds of motor vehicle fatalities were unbelted.

Rude says the stats are startling, and that 50 to 80 percent of vehicle fatalities could be prevented by people wearing their seat belts.