RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) — The DMV has launched its 2021 Local Heroes campaign, with an aim to decrease crash fatalities and advise motorists to wear eat belts more often
According to the DMV, there were 343 unrestrained fatalities in Virginia in 2020 alone. The five-year average (2016-2020) for unrestrained fatalities in Virginia is 311.
In 2019 seat belt usage rates were 85.4% in Virginia. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) considers any seat belt usage rate below 90% to be “low usage.”
The campaign will run in the Tidewater/Hampton Roads area through August 31 with a focus on each of the six localities featured in the videos: James City County, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Williamsburg and York County.
Ads will run across digital and social media, the radio, public transport and gas station TV.
This year’s campaign features first responders, including paramedics, firefighters and registered nurses based in the Tidewater region, who share their experiences to help emphasize the lifesaving habit of wearing a seat belt.
The multimedia campaign includes 30-second videos, bus banners and radio spots, demonstrating that first responders care about their communities and want them to buckle up when they get behind the wheel, regardless of how far the trip is or what speed they may be driving.
