ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- September has been dedicated as Seatbelt Awareness Month at Altus Air Force Base, Okla. The goal is to inform Airmen about seatbelt safety and how it can prevent major injuries in the event of an accident.
Wearing a seatbelt can lower the chance of having extensive injuries when an accident occurs that could have been more serious.
“When accidents happen with seatbelts it mostly causes a little bruising and soreness for a few days,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Christopher Huffer, 97th Wing Staff Agency occupational safety technician. “Which is more favorable than devastating injuries or fatalities caused by not wearing a seatbelt.”
Accidents can and will happen, so it is every Airman’s job to take the utmost precautions at all times when traveling in a vehicle.
"The choices we make are part of our identity as Airmen,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Darryl Roberson, Air Education and Training Command commander. “We need to create new attitudes, habits and skills through increased awareness. Wearing your seatbelt every time and ensuring your passengers do as well is an expectation."
Wearing a seatbelt is each passenger’s own responsibility to ensure the safety of themselves and everyone else in the car.
“We have always had an emphasis on seatbelt safety,” said Huffer. “They help save your life in the event of an accident. Not only does it protect the individual driving, but seatbelts protect others in the car. All it takes is one unrestrained occupant in a vehicle to endanger the other passengers because they could be thrown about in the event of an accident.”
The goal is to instill vehicle safety ideals into Airmen and their families in the interest of the Altus AFB mission of providing combat ready Airmen.