Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) will remain the entitlement sponsor of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Kentucky Speedway. The speedway's continued partnership with KYTC is centered on the "Buckle Up in Your Truck" (BUIYT) campaign to bring awareness to seatbelt use in pickup trucks. The Buckle Up in Your Truck 225 will kick off a NASCAR tripleheader weekend on Thursday, July 12.

"We have worked together with KYTC for many years to create unique platforms which encourage highway safety. This is especially important around the busy summer travel season," Kentucky Speedway General Manager Mark Simendinger said.  "We are proud that KYTC reports a nine percent decrease in highway fatalities for 2017. The sponsorship resulting in saved lives is the most rewarding thing we do."

The Kentucky Office of Highway Safety's BUIYT campaign, an aspect of safety within the Transportation Cabinet, works in conjunction with "Click It or Ticket" program. Their research found that drivers and occupants of pickup trucks were less likely to use their safety belt than in any other type of vehicle.

By using the Camping World Truck Series race as a platform the goal is to increase public awareness of the lack of safety belt use in pickup trucks, educate drivers to buckle up and diminish fatalities.

In Kentucky, the seat belt usage rate for pickup trucks is 79 percent, compared to 90 percent for passenger cars. While rollover crashes can happen in any type of vehicle, pickup trucks are twice as likely to rollover as passenger cars. In addition, pickup truck drivers have the lowest level of seat belt use among drivers of all other vehicles nationwide.

"We appreciate the Kentucky Speedway's continued assistance in promoting our highway safety messages," said Executive Director Dr. Noelle Hunter. "As we gear up for racing season, we're proud to bring attention to this critical highway safety issue and encourage NASCAR fans to use a seat belt."

Of the 776 fatalities on Kentucky roadways last year, 413 were coded in crash reports as a light truck, which includes vans, SUVs and pickup trucks.

"Seat belts greatly reduce the risk of injury and death," said Hunter. "Wearing your seat belt is not only the law, it is your best defense against a drunken, distracted or speeding driver."

 

The 2018 season at Kentucky Speedway begins in July with the return of a NASCAR tripleheader weekend anchored by the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Quaker State 400 on Saturday, July 14. The Camping World Truck Series Buckle Up in Your Truck 225 starts the weekend on Thursday, July 12 and the Xfinity Series Alsco 300 is Friday, July 13.

 

Fans are able to purchase season tickets and camping, July weekend packages or individual race tickets now by calling (859) 578-2300 or visiting the Kentucky Speedway ticket office at 1 Speedway Drive, Sparta, Ky., 41086 just off Interstate 71 at Exit 57 and Ky. Hwy. 35 North. Ticket office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

 

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