NASCAR Driver Promotes Seat Belt Safety During Visit to Franklin Upper School
(May 31, 2023) Students at Franklin Upper School learned from a professional NASCAR driver about the importance of seatbelt safety and the dangers of drinking and driving.
With prom season approaching, Franklin Upper Health Teacher Stacey Signorino reached out to NASCAR’s Ross Chastain, Monroe County’s STOP-DWI Program, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, the New York State Police, and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office to speak to students about a simple message: buckle up and don’t drink and drive.
“This is a good opportunity for students to have a positive experience with law enforcement,” said Signorino. “To have someone like Ross come here and share the importance of seatbelts and how they help save him when he races, I hope the message will hit home with students.”
NASCAR driver Ross Chastain has joined with the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee to promote the importance of seatbelt use through the “Project Your Melon” campaign.
“It is a message I have been able to promote for several years through my career,” said Chastain. “We are here to remind kids at school that a simple seatbelt buckling could save their life. I race 38 times a year; the most important thing is that I get to do it every week and hopefully for many years to come in my career.”
Chastain also reinforced with students the dangers of drinking and driving. He said, “There is zero tolerance when it comes to drinking and driving. I am on the road with my family, and students’ families are on the road, and we do not need anyone driving impaired. I have seen the crashes that NASCAR has documented over the years, and I have been in a few myself. I directly attribute the seatbelts holding me in the seat to keeping me safe.”
Students also participated in a “Battle of the Belts” competition, where they rotated inside an RCSD driver’s education vehicle to see how fast they could buckle their seatbelts. The New York State Police also conducted a roll-over simulation to show students the dangers of not wearing a seat belt.
Media Stories:
NASCAR Driver Ross Chastain Discusses Seatbelt Safety in Rochester (News 8)
NASCAR Driver Makes Stop at a Rochester School to Talk About Safety (WXXI News)