A school project from a group of Raphoe TY students is shining a light on a key part of road safety – seatbelts.
Bright Belt is the brainchild of TY students Keith Stewart, Finn Dalton, Sarah McMahon and Katelyn Russell from the Royal and Prior Comprehensive School, Raphoe.
The product is a reflective sticker put on the red button of the seat belt buckle to assist motorists and passengers to find their seatbelt buckle in the dark.
Finn Dalton came up with the idea on holiday, as he travelled in a car and struggled to find his seat belt buckle.
Finn thought of how could he could make it easier for passengers to find their seat belt buckle in the dark especially passengers in the rear seats of cars. He came up with the idea of making a reflective sticker that highlights where the seatbelt buckle is, especially important when dark.
With the assistance of other members of the group, they have commenced packaging and selling the product at craft fairs.
Bright Belt team at Royal & Prior
The product will make it easier to locate your seatbelt buckle in the dark and will especially assist parents and guardians in locating the seatbelt buckle for their children.
Brian O’Donnell Road Safety Officer praised the project, saying: “The non-wearing of seatbelts is not only against the law but is extremely dangerous. We continue to see fatalities where a vehicle occupant was not wearing a seatbelt and therefore had no protection in a collision.
“Any initiative which encourages motorists and passengers, particularly young people, to behave more responsibly and always wear their seatbelt has to be positive.
“I would like to commend the TY students from the Royal and Prior, Raphoe for their road safety initiative and I would like to wish Finn, Keith, Sarah and Katelyn every success with the sale and marketing of their product.
“Road safety is an issue that touches us all, with young people at particular risk and it is encouraging to see young students developing innovative products, which highlight road safety.”