IRONTON-The Minnesota State Patrol Monday presented Daniel Exsted of Ironton with a Saved by the Belt award.
Exsted was involved in a car crash Oct. 13, but suffered only minor injuries because he was buckled up, the state patrol reported.
"Dan Exsted is a living example that seat belts save lives," Capt. Joe Dwyer stated in a news release. "Hopefully, his story will persuade others in Crow Wing County to buckle up because you never know when you may be involved in a traffic crash."
Exsted, 44, was driving home to his residence when he was rear-ended by a vehicle on Highway 210 at highway speeds outside of Ironton. The crash totaled the vehicle. However, Exsted walked away from the scene with only aches and pains because he chose to buckle up, the state patrol reported.
"I'm very fortunate. The outcome could have been much different if I had not worn my seat belt on that day," Exsted said at the Saved by the Belt award presentation in Ironton.
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The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety states using a safety restraint reduces the risk of death or serious injury by 40-60 percent. Seat belt compliance in Minnesota is more than 90 percent.
Minnesota has a primary seat belt law, meaning officers will stop and ticket drivers and passengers for belt violations.
"Buckle up and speak up-insist everyone you are riding with is belted," Dwyer stated.
Go to https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/ots/Pages/default.aspx for more information on seat belt and child passenger restraints.
The Saved by the Belt program is a component of the state's core traffic safety initiative, Toward Zero Deaths. A primary vision of the TZD program is to create a safe driving culture in Minnesota in which motorists support a goal of zero road fatalities by practicing and promoting safe and smart driving behavior. The TZD program focuses on the application of four strategic areas to reduce crashes: education, enforcement, engineering and emergency trauma response.
