(Chillicothe) -- Karlene Kellis, Frankfort, joined Ohio’s “Saved by the Belt” Club today after her safety belt saved her from sustaining life-threatening injuries. The crash occurred on state Route 104 in Ross County on February 5.
Ohio State Highway Patrol Lieutenant Timothy J. Karwatske, Chillicothe Post commander, presented her with a “Saved by the Belt” certificate signed by Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Thomas J. Stickrath and Colonel Richard S. Fambro, Patrol superintendent.
“Karlene is a living testimony to the effectiveness of safety belts,” Lieutenant Karwatske said. “Everyone needs to buckle up every trip, every time.”
Provisional data from 2020 shows 487 people in Ohio were killed in traffic crashes where a safety belt was available, but not in use.
The “Saved by the Belt” Club is a joint effort by the Ohio Department of Public Safety and more than 400 Ohio law enforcement agencies. This club is designed to recognize people who have benefited from their decision to wear safety belts.
Karlene also received a “Saved by the Belt” license plate bracket.