Seventeenyearold Kianna Stewart of Red Wing, who fell asleep behind the wheel and crashed her vehicle in August, believes she would not be alive today had she decided not to buckle up.

“A seat belt is a decision that could save your life. If I wasn’t wearing mine, I don’t think I would be here to tell people to put one on,” said Stewart. “This wouldn’t have ended the way it did. I don’t think I would’ve had a chance to survive. I would have been rolled over by my car if I wasn’t kept in by my seat belt.”

During a crash, an unbelted motorist becomes a projectile in the vehicle, potentially injuring others. An unbelted motorist also risks being ejected from the vehicle. In 2014, 94 percent of vehicle occupants who were ejected or partially ejected and died were not wearing seat belts.