Chuck Seaver, South Lake Tablet
The Clermont Police Department (CPD) has added a new public safety exhibit to its existing traffic safety and injury prevention program. The piece of equipment, affectionately known as the “Seat Belt Convincer,” will be available for demonstrations at community events such as National Night Out, the police department’s Citizens Police Academy, and safety programs at schools geared towards students that are approaching or in the beginning months of their driving years.
The Seat Belt Convincer was made available to the police department through a Florida Department of Transportation state funding grant. The 1400lb. trailer-mounted piece of equipment was designed by and shipped from the Technology Development Institute of Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS.
“By simulating a low-impact collision, the Seat Belt Convincer can greatly impact how participants value the importance of wearing a seat belt. The system enables a passenger to experience the actual force generated during a 5-10mph collision. After this experience, passengers realize the true value of the restraint provided by the seat belt and gain a new respect for the protection that seat belts can provide,” states CPD Captain Malcolm Draper.
Captain Draper continued to state that the number one cause of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is traffic crashes. “Most people are not aware of the significant mental trauma that a traffic crash can cause to both drivers and passengers. No one realizes the impacts that a crash can have, both physically and mentally, until it happens to them,” says Draper.
Traffic crash analytics for the City of Clermont reveal that there were 1,257 crashes reported in the city from January 1, 2023, through November 21, 2023. Statistics show that there were 27 serious injuries reported during that period with two fatalities. A slight decrease in crashes from 2022, when there were 1,333 crashes with 20 serious injuries and five fatalities.
In 2022, there were 13 reported traffic crashes that involved occupant protection issues. During that time, the individuals documented were in seatbelt-equipped vehicles but were not utilizing seatbelts at the time of the crash. Of those, three occurrences were serious crashes with no fatalities. Some occupants involved were between the ages of 15 to 19 years old. In 2023, there were 16 crashes, with five being serious, involving occupant protection issues where occupants were not wearing seatbelts.
Although there were no statistics available at the time regarding cellphone use during these traffic crashes, Captain Draper wondered aloud how effective the Seat Belt Convincer would be if the participants were holding a cell phone in their hand during the demonstration. A rhetorical thought of course, but a thought that most drivers would agree with when they witness drivers talking, texting, and mapping while in control of a motor vehicle.
Visit www.Clermontfl.gov/262/Police-Department or call Clermont Police Captain Malcolm Draper at 352-394-5588 for more information.
