NHS Honored for Bucks County High School Seatbelt Safety Challenge

The Transportation Management Association [TMA] of Bucks County announced Tuesday, June 7, that Neshaminy High School achieved the greatest percentage increase for the 4^th Annual Bucks County High School Seatbelt Safety Challenge.

According to a press release issued by TMA Bucks, Neshaminy student drivers posted a 17 percent increase in seatbelt usage from baseline surveys last fall. 65 percent of students were wearing seat belts last fall; 82 percent were in the spring.

Neshaminy High School Principal Rob McGee, S.A.D.D. faculty advisor Jessica Krenzel and student officers Monica Bento, Sonila Dogjani, Samantha Browning, Jessica Beadling and Ariana Damiano were presented with $500 donated by TMA Bucks and awarded a perpetual plaque by TMA Bucks deputy director Steve Noll Tuesday.

The $500 prize must be used by the school for safety-related purposes, as stated in the release.

Last fall, baseline surveys on seatbelt usage by student drivers were conducted at various Bucks County high schools without the knowledge of the student body or administration in order to ensure the most accurate data sampling, the release stated.

Following the baseline surveys, all schools were then challenged to raise seatbelt usage and participate in the 4th Annual Bucks County High School Seatbelt Safety Challenge. At PennDOT's Survival 101 sessions, a seatbelt program aimed at high school students, results of how each participating school performed were announced to encourage the student body to get involved and increase seatbelt usage, the release stated.

In May and April, unannounced follow-up surveys took place. Other participating schools include: Archbishop Wood, Bensalem, Central Bucks East, Central Bucks South, Central Bucks West, Conwell Egan Catholic, Council Rock North, Council Rock South, Palisades, Pennridge, Pennsbury, Quakertown, Truman, Villa Joseph Marie and William Tennent.  

The sponsors for this year’s challenge were AAA Mid-Atlantic, Jacobs Engineering, Senator Tommy Tomlinson’s office, Univest and Visit Bucks County.