‘It’s easy. It’s a click.’: Here are some great reasons to buckle up when heading out

Central Florida roads are busy this week with people out and about for the July 4th holiday.

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But before you even leave your driveway, the first thing you need to do is fasten your seatbelt.

It could make all the difference, as new data shows that victims of the most serious Central Florida crashes were not buckled up.

Local motorists we spoke to were advocates for wearing your seat belt.

One shared a really good reason.

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“I have a family. I have two kids, so I want to be around for them,” driver Kevin Fontaine told Channel 9.

Another driver talked about how it reduces the chances of being thrown through a windshield and suffering major injuries during a crash.

But Across Central Florida, we have seen serious crashes end in tragedy when people were not wearing seatbelts.

Channel 9′s Alexa Lorenzo spoke with Florida Department of Transportation about the issue.

FDOT’s Loreen Bobo ran the numbers and found that 26% of people who died in Central Florida car crashes last year were not wearing a seat belt.

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In the prior year, 29% were not buckled up in fatal crashes.

“I just think of those people that could still be here today with their families and their friends, if they had just possibly done that one thing,” Bobo said.

Traffic leaders across Florida are urging parents to set a good example for their kids and have important conversations with them as they get close to driving age.

Statistics show that nationally, 91% of drivers buckle up.

Here in the Sunshine State, it’s slightly less at 89%.

FDOT is working on improving that number.

The agency has different education and enforcement programs underway to get people to always wear their seat belts.

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said wearing a seatbelt can reduce the risk of death by 45% and moderate to critical injury by 50%.

Back to the local drivers we chatted with — they had a sobering reminder and some simple, solid advice.

“I work in an ER, so you see a lot of injuries from car crashes,” Anna Wilson said.

Fontaine said, “Wear your seat belts, people. It’s easy. It’s a click.”

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