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'It takes seconds to pull that seat belt' | State Troopers urge drivers and passengers to buckle up

Over the last few weeks, we've seen multiple deadly car crashes where the victims were not wearing a seat belt.

GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. — This month alone there has been at least three deadly car accidents in the Triad, including one this morning in High Point. 

They all have a common theme.

The victims in these deadly car crashes were not wearing seat belts. 

NC Highway Patrol spoke about the problem and what it looks like at the state level.

It only takes a second to put your seat belt on, but State Troopers said they still show up on scenes of deadly car wrecks where people involved were not wearing one.

State Trooper Brian Martin said they see it all the time across the Triad and the state.

"Every trip, no matter if you're going five minutes down the road to see your grandma or if you're taking a three-hour trip down the road to the beach," Martin said. "You've got to remember to buckle up every trip, every single time because seatbelts save lives."

Martin has been a State Trooper for more than 20 years.

"I've seen a ton of fatal crashes over the course of my career and numerous times I have seen crashes where people were involved in these fatalities who would've lived or possibly would've lived if they had their seatbelt on," Martin said.

Martin said they also give out tickets daily to drivers not wearing a seat belt.

Since January 1, 2022, the highway patrol investigated more than 250 deadly crashes in the state.

Martin said about half of those crashes, people are not buckled up. 

"It's just so important that folks be responsible, and put that seatbelt on, and think about people other than themselves," Martin said. "Think about your family, your kids, and things of that nature, so that way when they leave out of the driveway in the morning, they need to put that seatbelt on to ensure that they return home safely to their families."

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