The Indiana Department of Transportation is calling on Hoosiers to make safety a priority behind the wheel during Buckle Up Phone Down Day today.

The annual campaign challenges drivers and passengers alike to wear seatbelts and put away their phones to reduce crashes and save lives. INDOT Commissioner Lyndsay Quist says while fatalities are trending down, injury crashes remain high — and behavior changes from motorists are key to progress.

Last year, nearly 900 people died on Indiana roadways. Though fewer than seven percent of Hoosiers don’t buckle up, they make up 45 percent of passenger car fatalities. Meanwhile, texting while driving increases crash risk by 50 percent, and more than 9,000 collisions in 2023 involved inattention or cell phone use.

Drivers can show support on social media using hashtags #BUPDDay, #BUPDIN, and #BuckleUpPhoneDown, and learn more or take the pledge at BUPDIN.com.