SEAT BELTS HELP PRESERVE THANKSGIVING OF SEASON

Thanksgiving is a joyous time of family gatherings and bountiful feasts. It's the traditional kick off to a busy holiday season. But it's also one of the most deadliest days on America's roadways. Last Thanksgiving, the festive image was shattered for hundreds of families. In 1991, there were more than 570 crashes on Missouri roadways on Thanksgiving Day alone, leaving 200 injured and four dead.

A strap of cloth and metal a seat belt could save your life this holiday season. Today is Buckle-Up Day in Missouri. The aim is to remind all Missourians to use their safety belts each and every time they travel in a car, especially during the hustle and bustle of this holiday season.

Locally, the Community Traffic Safety Program has made great strides in seat belt education. In early November, a survey re~vealed a respectable 73 percent seat belt usage rate in Cape Girardeau. In fact, the city has served as a model for the state and nation by maintaining that rate the last two months. Cape Girardeau usage is up from 61 percent in May.

We can all feel proud of this achievement. While 80 percent of Missouri drivers support the current law that requires motorists to buckle up, only 64 percent of Missourians buckle up every time they get in a vehicle, according to a recent state poll.

Cape Girardeau city fatalities number two this year, with one of those being a pedestrian death. That compares to four fatalities at this time last year. That reduction may reflect the aggressive efforts of the local seat belt campaign. Sharee Galnore and the many volunteers with the traffic safety program deserve commendation for a job well done.

The local committee is now targeting the part-time seat belt users - those people who buckle up for long trips, but forget for those short hops across town. But the fact is those short trips can be even more deadly. Statistics tell the story: Three out of four traffic deaths occur within 25 miles of home. Four out of five crashes occur at speeds less than 40 mph. Without seat belts, people have been killed at speeds as low as 12 mph, according the Missouri Department of Public Safety.

We can't choose when an accident will occur. Part-time users are just as vulnerable as not wearing a belt at all. It's like a game of Russian roulette.

Local and state law enforcement won't just take our word that we'll cooperate. They will be paying extra attention to seat belt usage and will be issuing tickets to those breaking the law. Ignoring your seat belt could cost you financially.

Seat belt usage saves us financially in other ways as well. On the average, a head-injured crash survivor can face more than $360,000 in medical costs. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that motor vehicle crashes alone in 1990 cost the nation more than $137 billion. That's more than two percent of the gross domestic product.

But those dollar costs can't compare to the loss of a loved one. An empty chair or high chair during the holiday season would be devastating. And in most cases, the deaths or injuries could be prevented by using a seat belt. Today is Buckle-Up Day in Missouri. But let's not just remember today. During this busy holiday season, let's buckle up each and every time we get in a vehicle. The life we save may just be our own or that of our children. And that's something for which we can truly be thankful.