Submit Your Saved By The Belt Story

The Arkansas State Police - Highway Safety Office Saved by the Belt program raises awareness about the importance and responsibility of everyone to buckle up. We at AHSO celebrate those individuals who were involved in a car crash and were Saved by the Belt. All of the individual stories on this page represent someone or a set of people who survived a car crash because the seat belt they were using did its job: protected the life of the person who was wearing it.

We want to honor that choice for safety and celebrate the fact that you use your seat belt. Submitting your story will help educate Arkansans on how seat belts and car seats save lives.

If you are ready to join us in making a difference, just send in the details below! If SBTB Committee approves, we will share your story on our website. Pictures truly are worth a thousand words. They are a great way of telling your story too, so please share any pictures you have of the crashed vehicle.

Here’s what we need:

  • Crash Report from investigating law enforcement agency (Attach the report below or send it to: Arkansas Highway Safety Office-Saved by the Belt Program, 1 Arkansas State Police Plaza, Little Rock, AR 72209)
  • The date the crash occurred and details about the crash.
  • Explain how you feel being restrained saved your life and/or the lives of other occupants in the vehicle.
  • Why you decided to wear your seat belt.
  • Did you or others sustain any injuries during the crash?
  • If you wish, please share any milestones you have encountered since the crash (graduation, marriage, becoming a grandparent, etc.)

Submit your ‘Saved By The Belt’ story | Nominate a traffic crash survivor. (Agency, Law Enforcement, Emergency, Safety Professional Only)

Download printable ‘Saved By The Belt’ submission form. (Electronic form on the way!)

To read some Saved By The Belt stories, click here


Saved By The Belt FAQs

What is the purpose?

For Arkansas Law Enforcement:

  • To identify individuals whose lives are saved, or injuries significantly reduced because they were wearing a safety belt or protected by an air bag and a safety belt at the time of a crash.
  • To provide documented evidence of cases where safety belts and other occupant protection devices “made the difference.”
  • To reinforce the life-saving importance of occupant protection for individuals involved in motor vehicle crashes and encourage others to use them.
  • To increase Arkansas public awareness on the benefits of use of safety belts, air bags and child safety seats.

Who Qualifies?

Persons who are eligible for receiving the certificate(s) must meet all the following criteria:

  • The nominee was involved in crash that occurred in Arkansas, regardless of residence.
  • Any person and/or their spouse and children involved in a motor vehicle crash whose lives were saved or injuries reduced because of the use of a safety restraint or air bag and safety belt.
  • The crash occurred after December 31, 2007 to present.
  • Nominees must be using the proper combination of safety restraints. For example, safety belts were properly used in vehicles equipped with an airbag; use of the manual lap belt is required with some automatic belt systems; child nominees who are required to be restrained by a child safety seat must be properly secured in the child restraint and the restraint must be properly secured in the vehicle by a safety belt.
  • Nominees may not be the driver of the “at-fault” vehicle, i.e., if the crash review finds the crash could have been prevented the nominee will NOT qualify.

Review Procedures

Each entry will be reviewed using the following criteria:

  • Severity of crash.
  • Severity of injuries/condition.
  • Circumstances surrounding the crash.
  • After full review, The Arkansas “Saved By The Belt” Committee reserves the right not to grant the presentation of the award/certificate(s) .

Disclaimer?

Yes. Nominees/Participants agree to allow the use of their name, photos, likeness and crash information in promotional activities for the “Saved By The Belt Program. Furthermore, Nominees/Participants release the Arkansas Highway Safety Office, Arkansas State Police and Department of Public Safety and its representatives from any obligation or liability associated with the certificate(s) and/or subsequent promotions of this program including AHSO websites and social media.

SAVED BY THE BELT STORIES

To read newest 'Saved By The Belt' stories, click here

Make the Life Saving Choice Buckle Up Arkansas!

Arkansas State Police - Highway Safety Office