Lafayette, Louisiana Truck Owners Reminded to ‘Buckle Up Your Truck’ with Seatbelt Campaign

Lafayette, Louisiana (KPEL-FM) - Driving, not just in Louisiana but anywhere, is a right that also carries responsibilities. From following the rules of the road regarding intersections, speed, right of way and more, the extra responsibility of passenger safety is also part of the driving experience. When you get behind the wheel with passengers in the vehicle, you should make sure they're all buckled up. Historically speaking, one of the vehicles that has a higher frequency of passengers not buckling up is in trucks.

Recently, the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office announced a plan to keep our roads safe with a new safety campaign called "Buckle Up In Your Truck". This program is all about making sure people riding in pickup trucks remember to wear their seatbelts. The campaign runs from April 19 through April 27, 2025, and is supported by a grant from the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission.

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During this time, deputies will be on the lookout for drivers and passengers who aren’t wearing seatbelts. They will focus especially on pickup trucks because studies show that people in trucks are less likely to buckle up—especially in rural areas like parts of Lafayette Parish. Sadly, this means they’re more likely to get seriously hurt or even killed in an accident.

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Buckle Up In Your Truck is part of a statewide program that’s also backed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The goal is to lower the number of injuries and deaths by making sure everyone wears their seatbelt, every time they ride in a vehicle. Having someone in the family who worked in the EMS field, I can tell you that the stories of unrestrained passenger accidents are not for the faint hearted.

Wearing a seatbelt is one of the easiest and most important things you can do to stay safe while driving or riding in a car or truck. Whether you’re just going down the street or driving across town, buckling up can make a big difference if a crash happens. It only takes a second to check the passengers in your vehicle and remind them it's not only for their safety, it's the law that they have their seatbelts on.

The LPSO wants everyone in Lafayette Parish to stay safe, and that starts with putting on your seatbelt. So remember, no matter where you sit in the truck or how short the trip is, buckle up every time. Hopefully, more will adopt the practice of enforcing seatbelt laws on their own without the need for actual law enforcement (or EMS personnel) to get involved.