Statewide seatbelt slogan winner: Sit, Click, Drive!

April 26, 7:32 PMNY Writing Careers ExaminerTad Richards

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Arick and Sirina say: Sit, Click, Drive!

This year for the first time, two important New York state agencies held a competition to create the best seat belt awareness slogan. The contest was open to 5th, 6th and 7th graders around the state, and the award was given at Sean's Run in Chatham, NY, a wonderful event started eight years ago to bring some good out of the tragic passing of Sean French, an 17-year-old Chatham boy, killed by a drunk driver. Debra Douglass, representing  the state Department of Health, which had sponsored the contest, was there to announce the winner -- just like the Academy Awards, it had not been leaked in advance -- and the winner was...

SIT, CLICK, DRIVE!

Three words that say it all. It was entered in the contest by Sirina Wiley, 11, a 6th grader at the Cahill School in Saugerties, New York.

The slogan had been created the previous summer by Sirina and her friend, 8-year-old Arick Manocha (my grandson!), who took it upon themselves to spread the word about the importance of seat belt safety. Their efforts -- a lemonade stand to raise money to buy Sit, Click, Drive! stickers and other paraphernalia, a website to encourage kids to tell other kids and their parents  about seat belt safety -- won them an award for civic action at the Saugerties Make a Difference Day.

Sirina entered the slogan in the contest, sponsored by the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Injury Prevention (BIP) and the New York State Association of Traffic Safety
Boards (NYSATSB), as part of the kids' continuing mission to make sure everyone wears a seat belt.

According to the BIP and NYSATSB:

Why are we conducting this contest?
 --  Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of injuries among 8·12 year-olds in New York State. Research shows that children are 40% more likely to be injured when riding in the front seat of a vehicle. Unrestrained children are also more likely to be seriously or fatally injured in a crash compared to children who buckle up.

-- Many New York State tweens (8·12 year.olds) are riding at risk. Approximately forty percent of tweens report tlley do not always buckle up and typically sit in the front seat when riding
in the car. The percentage is higher for older tweens (10-12 year olds).

-- The winning slogan will be included in safety belt promotional materials developed by the BIP for tweens. Safety messages developed and delivered by tweens are more likely to
positively impact their attitudes and behaviors.

 Look for Sit, Click Drive in schools all over New York State.