Be A Buckle Buddy! Program History

Children’s Hospital of Illinois created the “Be A Buckle Buddy!” program in 2004 in partnership with the Tazewell County Sheriff’s Department and the Peoria Area Safe Kids Coalition. In October 2006, the Illinois Department of Transportation's Division of Traffic Safety (IDOT-DTS) joined the partnership as a funding source for a rapid expansion of local law enforcement partners. Mike Stout, Director of IDOT-DTS, said of the recent success of the “Be A Buckle Buddy!” program, “"Our agency would like to thank the Children's Hospital of Illinois for its contribution to our effort in saving lives in Illinois. The success of "Be a Buckle Buddy" has played a significant role in Illinois' belt usage rate, climbing to 90 percent. Thank you Children's Hospital of Illinois.  Keep up the good work."