Martins Ferry resident Thomas W. Dolence joined Ohio’s “Saved by the Belt” Club today after his safety belt saved him from sustaining life-threatening injuries. The crash occurred on county Road 2 in Belmont County on May 6.
Ohio State Highway Patrol Lieutenant Maurice Waddell, St. Clairsville Post commander, presented him 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.
“Thomas is a living testimony to the effectiveness of safety belts,” Lieutenant Waddell said. “Everyone needs to buckle up every trip, every time.”
Provisional data from 2021 shows 565 people in Ohio were killed in traffic crashes where a safety belt was available, but not in use. For up-to-date statistics and information on safety belts, log onto the Patrol’s Safety Belt Dashboard at https://www.safetybeltdashboard.ohio.gov/.
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.
Thomas also received a “Saved by the Belt” license plate bracket.