Kansas Bucks for Buckles Campaign Rewards Seatbelt Use Across 41 Cities

Safe Kids Kansas, in partnership with the Kansas Department of Transportation, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and State Farm Insurance, is conducting the 'Bucks for Buckles' campaign from August 25 through September 7 across 41 cities in Kansas. The campaign rewards drivers and all occupants who are properly buckled with dollar bills at various checkpoints, while those unbuckled receive educational materials on seat belt and child safety seat effectiveness. This initiative comes amid concerns over declining seat belt use in Kansas, which dropped nearly 2 percent from 2022 to 2023, with only 85 percent of Kansans buckling up compared to the national average of 90 percent. In 2024, 339 people died on Kansas roadways, with about 30 percent not wearing seat belts, underscoring the campaign's message that seat belts reduce serious injury risk by up to 50 percent and save more than 15,000 lives annually nationwide. Local volunteers will distribute approximately $275-$300 in rewards during the campaign to encourage consistent seat belt use, emphasizing that buckling up is the simplest and most effective way to protect lives on Kansas roads. Additional information and city-specific participation details are available through Safe Kids Kansas.