Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
KSMW 90.3 in West Plains is experiencing technical difficulties and is currently broadcasting at low power. Our engineers are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

Buckle Up Phone Down encourages drivers to put safety first

A person drives a car while wearing a seat belt.
freestocks-photos
/
Pixabay
A person drives a car while wearing a seat belt.

The event on Wednesday aims to reduce fatal crashes.

Missouri drivers are begin asked to set aside a day this week to focus on how they can reduce their risk of a fatal crash.

The Missouri Department of Transportation and the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety are taking part in the annual Buckle Up Phone Down or BUPD Day Wednesday, October 30.

In 2023, the Siddens-Bening Hands-Free Law took effect, prohibiting Missouri drivers from using a handheld electronic communication device while driving. It’s a secondary offense, meaning drivers must be pulled over for something else before they can be ticketed.

The state also has a primary law requiring drivers to wear seat belts.

MoDOT said that, since the creation of BUPD in 2017, the state’s seat belt usage rate reached an all-time high, and the number of people killed who were unbuckled has decreased.

You can accept the challenge to BUPD at modot.org/bupd.

Michele Skalicky has worked at KSMU since the station occupied the old white house at National and Grand. She enjoys working on both the announcing side and in news and has been the recipient of statewide and national awards for news reporting. She likes to tell stories that make a difference. Michele enjoys outdoor activities, including hiking, camping and leisurely kayaking.