For Colin Cooney, buckling up is a habit.
That habit earned him and two other Montana State University students recognition Monday when they were presented with Saved by the Belt Awards by university President Geoff Gamble.
Less than two months ago, Cooney, Dash Donelly and Mark Hoyt were hit head-on by a drunk driver while traveling on Bozeman's South 19th Avenue.
All three students were wearing their seatbelts, and all three walked away from the crash without serious injuries.
Upon presenting the awards to the young men, Gamble noted that they were role models.
Cooney said he never expected to receive and award for something that has become a habit.
"We were just going down 19th. It can save your life because you don't know. Things can happen so quickly. One second you're driving and next second you're in a head-on impact. So it saves lives, definitely wearing one no matter how old you are," Cooney said.
Seventy-three percent of people killed on Montana's roadways were not wearing their seatbelts, according to experts.
This week is National Teen Driver Safety Week. Officials want to remind everyone to buckle up every time, for every trip.
The first annual National Teen Driver Safety Week was held Oct. 15 - 20, 2007. Congressman Charlie Dent (R-PA) and Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced the resolution in response to several tragic crashes involving Pennsylvania high school students, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association Web site.
National Teen Driver Safety Week raises awareness about the tragedy of teen vehicle crashes, the leading cause of death for young people in the U.S., and it sparks communication among teenagers, their parents and civic leaders about the causes of and solutions to teen crashes, according to the Web site.
