Council Rock North Wins Bucks County Seatbelt Safety Challenge

NEWTOWN, PA — Council Rock High School North has won the 16th Annual Bucks County High School Seatbelt Safety Challenge while also achieving the greatest percentage increase.

Student drivers from North had the highest overall seatbelt use (97 percent) over 20 other Bucks County high schools that participated in the challenge while also having the greatest percentage increase in seatbelt use over all schools at four percent (93 in the fall to 97 percent in the spring).

TMA Bucks, a nonprofit which organizes the challenge, presented the Council Rock High School North Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) group with two $500 cash grants and two perpetual trophy plaques at its May 22 meeting. The cash prize is donated by TMA Bucks and is encouraged to be used by the school for safety-related purposes.

“Congrats to the students who really stepped up to be leaders in their school community and stress the importance to their peers about making the right choice to buckle up,” said TMA Bucks executive director Stephen Noll.

Council Rock High School North Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) with their plaques and cash grants. (Contributed)

The school's SADD group promoted the Seatbelt Challenge throughout the school year and were led by Cole McCarthy (president), Kathryn McCarthy (co-vice president), Francesca Madden (co-vice president), Reese Reidenbach (secretary) and Emma Townsend (treasurer). The students are under the direction of teacher Danielle Holsey.

“I was so happy to hear that we won the challenge,” said Holsey after hearing the news. “SADD has been working toward this for about 10 years now. I’m grateful for the time and focus that this year’s group put into the event.”

English department teacher Ben Battiste also helped promote the challenge by having his students create a video for the Teen Driver Safety Video PSA Challenge powered by Comcast portion of the challenge.

Last fall, 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 raise seatbelt usage and participate in the Bucks County High School Seatbelt Safety Challenge. Various student groups at each participating school then promote the Seatbelt Challenge students throughout the school year in a variety of creative ways. Follow-up surveys took place unannounced in April and May and the winning schools were decided.

AAA Mid-Atlantic, Automotive Training Center (Warminster campus), the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, Jefferson Bucks Hospital, McMahon (a Bowman company), Stark & Stark, Univest and Visit Bucks County are sponsors of the event.

TMA Bucks is a non-profit transportation management association designed to promote and coordinate travel demand management strategies to reduce peak-hour traffic congestion and serve as a clearinghouse for transportation policies and programs throughout Bucks County. TMA Bucks also manages the Bucks County Community Traffic Safety Program in partnership with the County of Bucks and the TMA Bucks Foundation. The TMA is membership supported and businesses can learn more about the benefits of membership at tmabucks.com.