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Buckle Up America
By: Scott Rolfe, RN, BSN

Dear Ms. Breen: Before I came to work as a Dispatcher for the NHP, I never really thought much about wearing my seatbelt. Then, as part of my job, I had to type the fatal accident statistic forms for NHP Headquarters. Sometimes, the troopers would stop in and show us photos of the fatal crashes they had to work. One crash really affected me; a young girl had just purchased her first new car. She had bought the exact type of car I had just purchased; right down to the same color. Funny coincidence, it was my first new car too. Three weeks after being the proud owner of a cute little car, a drunk driver hit her. She wasn’t wearing her seatbelt and she was killed. As I was typing the fatal accident form, the trooper came in with the photos and said, “If she had only worn her belt, she’d be alive today.” From that evening on, I have faithfully worn my seatbelt and I won’t start the car until everyone else is buckled up too. I still think about that girl even though it’s been twenty years ago. That could have been me—would have been me, if I hadn’t seen the photos or had to add her to the fatal statistics. Sincerely, Lois M. Brady-Long

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Scott Rolfe, RN, BSN