Two central Ohio residents joined Ohio’s “Saved by the Belt” Club Thursday after their safety belts saved both from sustaining life-threatening injuries.
Columbus resident Ashleigh Conkey was involved in a crash on Interstate 71 in Delaware County on March 16, while Grove City resident Alissa Reed’s crash occurred on state Route 61 in Delaware County on April 13.
Ohio State Highway Patrol Lt. Eric A. Caudill, Delaware Post commander, presented Conkey with a “Saved by the Belt” certificate signed by Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Thomas J. Stickrath and Col. Richard S. Fambro, Patrol superintendent.
“Ashleigh is a living testimony to the effectiveness of safety belts,” Caudill said. “Everyone needs to buckle up every trip, every time.”
Also on Thursday, Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper Ryan M. May, Delaware Post, presented Reed with a “Saved by the Belt” certificate.
Provisional data from 2020 shows 487 people in Ohio were killed in traffic crashes where a safety belt was available, but not in use.
The “Saved by the Belt” Club is a joint effort by the Ohio Department of Public Safety and more than 400 Ohio law enforcement agencies. The club is designed to recognize people who have benefited from their decision to wear safety belts.
Conkey and Reed both also received a “Saved by the Belt” license plate bracket.
