High School Seatbelt Safety Challenge Underway In Bucks Co.

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Seatbelt safety is always stressed for high school students in Bucks County.

For nearly two decades, Bensalem-based TMA Bucks, the county's transportation agency, has raised awareness by offering a challenge to students, and this year is no different.

The 19th Annual Bucks County High School Seatbelt Safety Challenge, organized by TMA Bucks and presented by NJM Insurance Group, is officially underway.

This year's challenge once again invites Bucks County high schools to compete for the highest seatbelt usage rates.

Baseline surveys of student driver seatbelt use have been conducted at every public and private high school in Bucks County. Surveys were conducted safely and without the knowledge of the student body or administration to ensure the most accurate data sampling. Each school’s result is forwarded to them with an invitation to participate in the challenge.

TMA Bucks Executive Director Stephen J. Noll said that every high school once again has surpassed 80 percent seatbelt compliance for the third straight year.

He said the combined average compliance rate has now topped 90 percent in eight of the last nine fall surveys.

"That’s a remarkable achievement and a true reflection of the commitment, leadership, and responsibility demonstrated by our student drivers," Noll added. "Their dedication to making safe choices behind the wheel is making a real difference in their schools and communities. We’re confident they’ll continue raising the bar and inspiring even more of their peers to buckle up every time they drive through participating in our program.”

The seatbelt challenge encourages participating high schools to raise their student driver seatbelt usage over the course of the year.

Student groups at each school work to promote seatbelt use within the student body by using posters, T-shirts, school-wide announcements, and other creative messages.

In the spring, an unannounced follow-up survey is conducted at each of the participating schools.

The school with the highest overall percentage in seatbelt use and the school with the greatest percentage increase in seatbelt use are both awarded with perpetual trophy plaques and $500 cash grants for safety-related use by the school.

Back again this year is the Teen Driver Safety Video PSA Challenge powered by Comcast.

All high schools can produce and submit a 30-second video PSA on teen driver safety, dealing with any aspect including seatbelts, texting, distracted driving, speeding, or impaired driving.

The winner gets a $500 cash grant and their video will play on Comcast networking. Videos must be uploaded to YouTube with the link emailed to dave@bctma.com by April 10, 2026, to be eligible.

NJM Insurance Group is the presenting sponsor with supporting sponsorships from AAA Mid-Atlantic, Automotive Training Center, Bucks County Community College, Jefferson Bucks Hospital, Bowman, Stark & Stark, Rothman Orthopedics, and Visit Bucks County.

The TMA Bucks Community Traffic Safety Program has free programming available to all Bucks County high schools on any highway safety topic such as distracted driving, impaired driving, seatbelt safety, pedestrian safety, and bicycle safety.

Anyone interested should contact Carly Wible at carly@bctma.com for more information or to schedule programming.