Jeannette residents lag in seatbelt use; state officials look for ways to boost safety awareness

Tapping into the minds of young people might be a way to promote traffic safety to their peers.

That could mean handing out treats to Jeannette City High School students who follow traffic rules, such as wearing a seat belt on the ride to school, or having them create social media videos based off a safety prompt.

Trying to find ways to connect an educational experience to social media is the way to go, said Trooper Tristan Tappe.

“That’s their brain now, that’s how it works,” she said.

Local leaders in Jeannette were joined Thursday by PennDOT, AAA and Highway Safety Network officials, among others, to discuss ways to improve traffic safety and potentially bring programs to the city. The meeting was one of 18 being held around the state as officials look for ways to connect with schools and municipalities to see how traffic safety can be improved.

Highway Safety Network District 12 community traffic safety project coordinator Jaci Brice recently conducted a survey in Jeannette and found that 73% of people reported wearing a seat belt.

About 90% of drivers statewide wore seat belts during a statistical sampling from the summer of 2022, according to PennDOT’s 2022 crash report.

“We can see there’s still a need for seat belt usage here,” Brice said.

Participants discussed several traffic safety-related topics, including pedestrians, cross walks, bicycles and seat belt usage. They discussed using social media to share safety messaging, setting up signs outside school buildings and handing out items during community sporting events.

“Not every project has to be grandiose,” said Colleen Lantz, Highway Safety Network District 12 coordinator.

The group had plenty of ideas on how to connect with children, such as putting safety messages on the devices they’re provided at school or having a bicycle event.

“You have a lot of kids with bikes,” Tappe said.

Jeannette Police Chief Derek Manley said it’s rare to see a child in town wearing a bicycle helmet.