HANNIBAL, MO -- Each year, area high schools students are encouraged to participate in the Battle of the Belt Challenge. The Battle of the Belt is a competition between Missouri high schools to increase seat belt usage among teens. The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety and American Family Insurance sponsor the program.

The students and faculty at Knox County R-1 High School rose to the challenge; they were the regional winner in highest overall usage at 93.91% and most improved usage at 71.16% increase from the first seat belt check to the second. The students' won two checks each in the amount of $250 for each of these categories. It was the first time the school participated in the challenge.

On Friday, March 20, the Knox County School District held a special assembly of the student body to congratulate them for their efforts in educating and encouraging fellow students about the importance of seat belt usage and to "Arrive Alive". Joining the school district officials at the dedication were numerous faculty, staff, students and law enforcement. During the ceremony, MoDOT District Engineer Paula Gough and Don McCurren from American Family Insurance presented Jane Moore, Battle of the Belt student coordinator for the school, with two checks each in the amount of $250 for being the regional winner.

"Statewide, only 62 percent of Missouri teens report wearing their seat belt. Young drivers between the ages of 15 and 18 comprise 5.4 percent of Missouri's 4.2 million licensed drivers and are involved in 15 percent of the traffic crashes in the state," said MoDOT District Engineer Paula Gough.

"We have approximately 29 high schools in our 13 county area, and this year 14 schools actively participated," added Gough. During the competition, teens participate in observational safety belt surveys conducted before and after an education blitz to determine the change in seat belt use among the teens.  High schools in the northeast area participating in the seat belt checks for highest overall usage/most improved from the first seat belt check to the second were Clark County R-1 (80.69/66.76), Madison C-3 (77.14/30.18), Warrenton (91.58/8.34), North Shelby (73.49/-1.74), Marion County R-III (81.67/-3.48), Monroe City (77.98/-6.88) High Schools. Other schools who participated in the educational campaigns were Canton R-V, Hannibal, Mexico, Palmyra, Scotland County, Troy Buchanan, and Van-Far.