FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Friday, Feb. 5, 2016

Contact: Tony Mangan, Department of Public Safety, 773-6196

Office of Highway Safety to Air Seatbelt Commercials During Super Bowl

PIERRE, S.D. – With all of the fun and excitement that comes with Super Bowl Sunday, the South Dakota Office of Highway Safety plans to use time during the game to remind people about the importance of seat belt use.

The office will air two commercials during the halftime show. The first, entitled “Rollover,” shows what happens to the parents of a small child who are not wearing seatbelts when their vehicle is hit by another vehicle. The second commercial, “Twist,” shows the moments after such a collision involving a small child who was restrained properly in a child safety seat, but was killed by an unbelted passenger in the same vehicle.

“We are airing these commercials now because this is an opportunity to again remind a large audience about the need to buckle up,” says Highway Safety Director Lee Axdahl. “It shows the before and the after of such a tragic situation and it targets the broad demographic of folks who need to be reminded to wear seat belts.”

The “Rollover” commercial has previously been used by the Office of Highway Safety. The second commercial is modeled after one used by the state of Utah.

“This continues to be an important educational effort for Highway Safety, the Highway Patrol and the entire Department of Public Safety,” says Axdahl. “We want people to understand that using seatbelts or safety restraints will help protect themselves, their loved ones and others. That also includes first responders, law enforcement and others who are the first at a crash scene and see the deadly aftermath of not wearing seatbelts.”

After broadcast during the Super Bowl,  the commercials also will be seen Monday night during local TV newscasts throughout South Dakota.

These commercials were made possible through the office’s partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The Office of Highway Safety is part of the Department of Public Safety.

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Note: Here are links to the two commercials:

Rollover: https://youtu.be/OIdJsC0gj3U

Twist: https://youtu.be/rxIIcB75OI8