Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among Americans ages 1 – 54, and almost half of those fatalities were not wearing seat belts.
Teens have the highest rate of non-seat belt safety use in the United States, and are 3x more likely to die in a vehicle crash than any other age group.
1 in 10 people admit they do not wear their seat belts.
The Kailee Mills Foundation was founded after the tragic loss of 16 year old Kailee Mills who was ejected and killed after removing her seat belt momentarily. Our mission is to prevent fatality and injury by educating the public on seat belt safety through school programs, community outreach, and awareness campaigns.
By sharing Kailee’s story to provide education and awareness, our programs are reminding people of all ages that the true risk of not wearing a seat belt is the loss of a loved one.
Our Impact
SCHOOL PROGRAMS
Seat belt safety school programs consist of a safety presentation, seat belt check, buckle up road signs, and seat belt safety materials. We also utilize the Kailee Crash Car depending on location and availability.
School Safety Presentations
School safety presentations include a speaker, videos, and distribution of safety merchandise to the students and staff. Surveys are completed by the students before and after the assembly for us to measure the success of our message. Virtual presentations through our iBuckle Interactive Program are also available.
Seat Belt Checks
Seat belt checks ensure drivers and passengers are wearing their seat belts as they exit school parking lots. Statistical data is collected prior to and after the safety presentation and seat belt check to measure program success, and then shared with schools and families as a way to inform and educate on seat belt use and safety. The Kailee Mills Foundation staff and volunteers display seat belt safety banners at parking lot exits after school dismissal to remind students, staff, and families to buckle up.
Seat Belt Safety Road Signs
Seat belt safety road signs are available to be installed at school parking lot exits. These signs serve as continuous reminders to students, staff, and families to always wear their seat belts.
The Kailee Mills Foundation provides the signs and hardware. The appropriate school or ISD staff completes the installation. Once a request form has been completed, we can provide further guidance.
National Seat Belt Day
National Seat Belt Day is observed annually on November 14. More than 46,000 people are killed in car crashes in the U.S. every year, and an estimated 4.4 million people sustain injuries that require medical attention.
On National Seat Belt Day, KMF works with elementary, middle, and high schools to heighten awareness about seat belt safety through materials placed around school campuses and sent home with children.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Safety presentations and awareness events are an avenue the Kailee Mills Foundation uses to reach and educate all members of the community. We host our own and attend community events to raise seat belt safety awareness. We also collaborate with first responders and other safety organizations that focus on other road safety initiatives like drinking and driving, distracted driving, pedestrian safety, motorcycle and bike safety, and many more. The Kailee Crash Car display is utilized at events to share Kailee’s story and increase the impact on the community.
We are available as a guest speaker for businesses, meetings, forums, expos, press conferences, and other events upon request. Virtual presentations are also available.
AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS
Seat belt safety awareness campaigns are developed for the purpose of reminding the general public about the importance of buckling up. After creating campaign messaging, we share the safety campaigns through collaboration with organizations, billboards, press and media, radio, tv, and social media. We also offer safety materials for partnering organizations to give to their customers to enhance the message.
TESTIMONIALS
“My daughter was recently in a head-on collision with a pick up truck and the doctors are at a loss for how she survived it. I Gave her a Kailee Mills Foundation buckle up sticker to put on her car at Christmas, so we made it a big deal to ALWAYS wear her seat belt. At the time of the crash she saw that sticker on her car and said it gave her an odd sense of peace…she actually cried because she felt protected. You just never know how things are going to go. Amelia only had three stitches after what should have been a deadly car crash. I am grateful for the Gala event I was at and for the stickers they gave me. Kailee’s story made an impression on Amelia and she told me that she looked at her sticker whenever she got in her car. It gives me chills thinking about it…. how that sticker and its impact on my daughter may have been instrumental in saving her life.”
“While driving home from mountain biking, my husband was super hungry. The cooler sat in the back seat, so I offered to grab him a quick snack for the ride. He said “No, because you’d have to take your seat belt off.” It was no coincidence that we had heard a Kailee Mills Foundation commercial on the radio encouraging everyone to buckle up at all times. Thank you Kailee, for being our angel to remind us!”
“I was driving today and my seat belt was rubbing my collar bone. I was going to take it off for a split second but thought of Kailee and didn’t.”
The mint green seat belt safety awareness ribbon was developed to be the symbol for seat belt safety in an effort to remind the public to buckle up. You may receive seat belt ribbon decals at no cost by clicking the “Get Your Seat Belt Ribbon Decals” button on any page of our website.
