DATE: Sunday, September 21, 1997            TAG: 9709190310

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 15   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY LEWIS KRAUSKOPF, STAFF WRITER 
                                            LENGTH:   37 lines

AREA CONTEST TO PIT SCHOOLS IN TRACKING SEAT-BELT USAGE

Starting next month, high school students who buckle up may be rewarded with more than a safe ride.

All public high schools and some private schools in Chesapeake and South Hampton Roads will be involved in ``Battle of the Belts'' - a six-week competition to determine which schools' students wear seat belts the most.

A series of three surveys will be taken beginning Oct. 20 by Drive Smart Hampton Roads, a community traffic safety program.

The goal of the competition is two-fold, said Margaret Ware of Drive Smart: To raise awareness of seat-belt safety, and to get an idea of how often teens buckle up.

Drive Smart hopes to complete the surveys by the winter holidays, a dangerous period for car crashes.

The most proficient seat-belt users from each city will be rewarded with money for post-prom parties or other programs. The first-place school will win $500, second place $200, and third place $100.

Students who are found buckled up during the surveys will be recognized, in the form of key chains, pens, pencils or Life Saver candies, Ware said.

As of June 1, 66 teens had died in car crashes statewide, a 37.5 percent increase over last year, Ware said.

In addition, as of July 1, Virginia law maintains that the driver can be ticketed if anyone in the car under 16 is unbelted.

Students found in violation of the law during the survey likely won't get cited, Ware said.

``They may get a Dum-Dum lollipop, though,'' she said. ILLUSTRATION: File photo

As of July 1, Virginia law states that the driver can be ticketed if

anyone in the car under 16 is unbelted.

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