Winter 2006 Highlights

Fifth Annual Battle of the Belts
Firm awards high schools $2,000 for buckling up

Across the nation, communities unfortunately face senseless tragedies when young people die or are critically injured in vehicle crashes because they choose not to wear a safety belt.

Leon County had a particularly painful year in 2002 when fatal motor vehicle crashes claimed the lives of four teenage students who were not wearing seat belts. At that time the Tallahassee Police Department (TPD) and Fonvielle Lewis Foote & Messer partnered to introduce the Battle of the Belts, a friendly competition between high schools to educate students and adults about the importance of safety belts and encourage their use in young drivers.

As personal injury lawyers, too often we see the results of how poor decisions lead to detrimental outcomes, and welcome the chance to support TPD in one of its many proactive programs. Being in an accident and not wearing a seat belt affects more than just those in the vehicle. The careless behavior causes higher insurance premiums and exorbitant short-term and long-term hospital care, as well as pain and suffering for the?family and friends of those injured, disabled or killed.

Our efforts with Battle of the Belts and other community initiatives are critical to help educate and save the lives of both teen and adult drivers, according to TPD Chief Walter McNeil, who was joined at this year’s awards ceremony in May by Captain Argatha Gilmore, Division Commander TPD Traffic Unit, Hal Lewis of FLF&M and (then) Leon County Schools Superintendent Bill Montford.

Vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among teens in the United States. In 2004, Florida reported 37,355 crashes involving teens ages 15-19, with 26,179 injured and 282 killed. Since the Battle of the Belts program began, the number of teen fatalities involving teenage drivers in Leon County has declined with three fatalities in 2003 and two in 2004, according to the TPD. As of May 10, 2006, the reporting date for the 2006 Battle of the Belts, there was one reported fatality in Leon County of a driver under 21. That driver was impaired and was not wearing a seatbelt.

Maclay Upper School was the 2006 winner of the “Highest Buckle-Up Rate” with 95.3 percent of students surveyed wearing a safely belt. The “Most Improved Buckle-Up Rate” award went to Leon High School, with an increase from 70.98 percent to 86.03 percent. Fonvielle Lewis Foote & Messer gave each school a plaque and $1,000 toward their Junior-Senior Prom or graduation related activities.

Battle of the Belts is a friendly competition between the 10 area high schools to challenge each other, drivers and passengers to always buckle up. TPD traced seat belt use of those entering and leaving the school campuses for one day in April and again in May.

We hope that this effort will continue to increase awareness and help alter student behavior, as well as encourage parents and faculty to always buckle their seat belt and ask all passengers to do the same.

Our law firm consists of proud parents of 16 children, including six teenagers who are of driving-age. Research shows that when a driver is unbuckled, the majority of the time their children will not be buckled up either. We encourage all parents to set a good example for their children by buckling up every time they get in a car. Since 2002, our law firm has donated a total of $11,000 to local high schools in support of seat belt safety.

Buckle-Up, It's The Law

It is against the law in Florida to operate a motor vehicle unless the driver and every passenger are wearing a safety belt, according to TPD Chief Walter McNeil. Failure to buckle up contributes to more fatalities than any other single traffic safety related behavior. The Florida Highway Patrol reports that there were 3,515 fatalities on the state’s roads in 2005, an all-time high, and an increase of 348 deaths over the previous year. Many were ejected and died from severe head trauma or internal injuries. More than 66 percent of those who died in safety-belt-equipped vehicles were not buckled up.

In 2005, there were 36 deaths in Leon County as a result of vehicle crashes. Of those, 58 percent were not wearing safety belts. Seat belts are proven to be the most effective way to avoid death or serious injury in a crash. Air bags are designed to work jointly with seatbelts, not replace them.
Any person who violates Florida’s Safety Belt Law commits a nonmoving violation with a fine of $76.50 for both the driver and passengers. A child seat violation is $120.50. Last year, the TPD issued 1,636 citations to those not wearing safety belts.

2006 Florida Statute “The Florida Safety Belt Law” states:

It is unlawful for any person:

a) To operate a motor vehicle in this state unless each passenger and the operator of the vehicle under the age of 18 years are restrained by a safety belt or by a child restraint device pursuant to s. 316.613, if applicable; or
b) To operate a motor vehicle in this state unless the person is restrained by a safety belt.

It is unlawful for any person 18 years of age or older to be a passenger in the front seat of a motor vehicle unless such person is restrained by a safety belt when the vehicle is in motion.

Source: Tallahassee Police Department Traffic Unit Battle of the Belts News Release, May 17, 2006.

Grads Party Safely During "Project Graduation"

The community and countless volunteers came together at the end of the 2006 school year to make sure students had a safe and special sendoff during Project Graduation.

Organizers wanted to make sure students in Wakulla and Leon counties lived to remember this very special time. Students were encouraged to make healthy and safe choices by attending the planned activities, which included food and prizes.

For the fifth consecutive year, the $4,500 Fonvielle Lewis Foote & Messer Responsible Choice Awards were divided among 45 graduates who attended. All students at nine participating high schools who attended Project Graduation had the chance to win a cash award of $100 each for making the choice to party all-night in a safe supervised environment.

The events were hosted by parent volunteers and operated strictly on community donations. Since 2002, our firm has donated $33,500 to area high school students and schools through these awards and partnership with the Tallahassee Police Department and the Battle of the Belts high school seatbelt usage competition.

© 2008 Fonvielle Lewis Foote & Messer