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Harrisonville proclaims Oct. 30 'Buckle Up Phone Down Day'; high school Traction team highlights distracted-driving toll
Summary
Mayor Mike Ziering read a proclamation naming Oct. 30, 2024, 'Buckle Up Phone Down Day' and invited Harrisonville High School's Traction team to discuss distracted-driving prevention and personal stories they hear at conferences.
Harrisonville Mayor Mike Ziering read a proclamation at the Board of Aldermen meeting declaring Friday, Oct. 30, 2024, "Buckle Up Phone Down Day," urging drivers to buckle seat belts and avoid cellphone use behind the wheel.
The proclamation cited figures attributed to the Missouri Department of Transportation and the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety, saying that "over 64 percent of fatalities in 2023 Missouri traffic crashes were unbuckled," an increase of five percentage points from 2022, and noting that traffic crashes remain a leading cause of death for people ages 15 to 20. The mayor encouraged residents to take the Buckle Up Phone Down challenge at modot.org/buckleup.
After the reading, Mayor Ziering invited members of the Harrisonville High School Traction team forward for a photo and brief remarks. Officer Ramsey, the school's Traction team advisor, described the program (formerly called the Seat Belt Challenge) as a student-led effort now focused on distracted driving and seat-belt use; he said the team has 14 members this year and is working to build students' public-speaking skills.
"I'm Officer Ramsey," the advisor said, explaining the team's goals and recent activities.
Lucas Divini introduced himself as Traction's newly elected president and said he joined the program three years ago. "I was voted into our office, like, a month ago," Divini said, expressing enthusiasm about leading the group.
Audrey Coffey, the team's public relations officer, underscored the program's human perspective. "It's not just the numbers," Coffey said. "We talk to real people that have been in these accidents ... they've had a loved one killed or they've been paralyzed," she said, adding that those accounts help the team convey the emotional toll of dangerous driving.
Mayor Ziering and others thanked the students for their leadership, and the board moved on to routine business. The proclamation and the student remarks provided the meeting's main public-safety and youth-engagement moments.
The board did not take further formal action on the proclamation during the excerpted portion of the meeting; the event included a photo opportunity and short remarks by the students and advisor.
