03/16/2026
The last two weeks Columbus High School SAFE Students share important safety information with local kids
Motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death among children 4-18 in the United States, so students at Columbus High School who are a part of the SAFE, or Seat Belts Are For Everyone, Program are sharing the importance of buckling up and using booster seats with K-3rd graders at Park and Central Elementary School through Boosters 2 Belts.
With the help of Booster Rooster, Boosters 2 Belts gets kids excited about seat belts while learning of their importance. This program was made available through the Kansas Traffic Safety Resource Office and the Kansas Department of Transportation in an effort to increase seatbelt use among children in Kansas.
Statewide, the average seat belt use among 5-9 year olds, the typical age children should be in booster seats, is only 84%, compared to the 97% statewide average of children 0-4.
Kansas law states that children must use a car seat or booster until they are 8 years old, 80lbs., or 4’9”. Experts recommend, however, that children continue to use a booster seat until the seat belt alone fits them correctly. Families who are interested in learning more to make sure their children are transported correctly can contact the Kansas Traffic Safety Resource Office at 800-416-2522 or www.ktsro.org.
Thank you to the partners of the SAFE program:
• AAA
• State Farm
• Kansas Department of Transportation
• Kansas Troopers Foundation
• Kansas Department of Health and Environment
• Kansas Highway Patrol
• Kansas Sheriff’s Association
• Kansas Traffic Safety Resource Office
For more information on the SAFE program, go to: http://www.ktsro.org/safe
SAFE is a cooperative effort to increase teen restraint compliance through positive rewards and enforcement. It is designed to bring awareness to the importance of wearing a seatbelt, therefore reducing the number of motor vehicle related injuries and fatalities among Kansas high school students.
