West Texas Drivers Warned About This Seat Belt Mistake

Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, sheriff’s deputies, and police officers will be watching West Texas roads closely throughout Labor Day weekend.

They will be looking for impaired, distracted, speeding, and aggressive drivers. However, DPS Sergeant Mark Couch reminded me that officers are also watching for something much simpler: people who are not wearing their seat belts properly.

Sergeant Couch Looked Me Straight in the Eyes

Sergeant Couch recently joined me in the studio to discuss Labor Day traffic safety.

“Rudy, I look forward to everybody buckling up, putting the phone down, driving sober, and driving politely,” he told me while looking directly at me.

I jokingly asked, “You’re looking at me like you don’t think I’m going to do any of that.”

His answer stopped me in my tracks.

“If you miss one step and something happens, I would not have done my job.”

He was right. I admitted that when making a quick trip to the convenience store, I have occasionally forgotten to buckle up.

Sergeant Couch acknowledged that nearly everyone has probably done that once or twice. His point was that a short drive is no reason to take an unnecessary chance.

Buckled Does Not Always Mean Properly Buckled

There was another reason Sergeant Couch was looking at me.

I normally buckle my seat belt, but because the shoulder strap rubs against my neck, I sometimes place it underneath my left arm. I remain buckled, but I am not wearing the restraint the way it was designed to be worn.

“That is still not safe,” Sergeant Couch told me. “You should wear the seat belt as the manufacturer made it.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration advises occupants to wear the shoulder belt across the middle of the chest and away from the neck—not behind the back or underneath the arm.

Comfort matters, but surviving a crash matters more.

“Yes, sir, Sergeant Couch,” I replied. “I’ll make sure I keep my family safe too.”

West Texas Officers Want Everyone Home Alive

Law enforcement agencies across West Texas traditionally increase patrols during busy holiday travel periods. They will be watching for intoxicated motorists, phone use, speeding, tailgating, unsafe lane changes, and road-rage behavior.

The goal is larger than writing tickets. Texas officers want to prevent crashes and help our state finally experience an entire day without a traffic fatality.

Sergeant Couch did his job by reminding me—even when the reminder was uncomfortable.

Now I need to do mine by buckling up correctly, putting down the phone, driving sober, and treating everyone else on the road politely.