The Indiana Department of Transportation is challenging Hoosiers to buckle up and put their phones down behind the wheel. Wednesday, Oct. 29, is Buckle Up Phone Down Day, a day dedicated to encouraging motorists to rethink every trip they make or take in a vehicle, with the goal of improving safety for drivers, their passengers, and other road users.
“Nearly 900 people lost their lives on Indiana roadways last year,” said INDOT Commissioner Lyndsay Quist. “Overall, fatalities are decreasing but we’re still seeing higher incidence of injury crashes. As an agency, INDOT is doing what it can to enhance roadway safety through a variety of systemic improvements, but creating change also takes consistent cooperation and behavior modification from members of the traveling public.”
For the third year, INDOT is joining more than two dozen state departments of transportation in a larger movement that focuses on two of the most impactful actions both drivers and passengers can take to prevent crashes – or survive if one occurs – wearing a seatbelt and putting phones and mobile devices away.
While just under seven percent of Indiana drivers don’t wear their seatbelts, they account for 45% of passenger car fatalities, and texting while driving increases the risk of a crash by 50%. In 2023, more than 9,000 collisions were reported to involve driver inattention or cell phone use despite Indiana’s Hands-Free Law enacted in 2020.
Follow INDOT and other state departments of transportation on social media to participate in Buckle Up Phone Down Day.
Like and share posts, and use the official hashtags, #BUPDDay, #BUPDIN and #BuckeUpPhoneDown to show your support. Drivers can also watch for specialized messages on overhead dynamic message signs on interstate routes across Indiana.
Buckle Up Phone Down was launched in 2017 by the Missouri Department of Transportation and was adopted by INDOT in 2023. Learn more and take the pledge at BUPDIN.com.
Stay Informed
Motorists in Indiana can monitor road closures, road conditions, and traffic alerts any time via:
Facebook: facebook.com/indianadepartmentoftransportation
X (formerly Twitter): @INDOT
TrafficWise: 511in.org
Mobile App: iTunes App Store and the Google Play store for Android
About the Indiana Department of Transportation
INDOT is responsible for planning, constructing, maintaining, and operating the State of Indiana’s more than 29,000 highway lane miles and 5,700 bridges, and providing support for 4,500 rail miles and 127 aviation facilities throughout the Hoosier State. With six district offices and over 3,500 employees, INDOT works to ensure safe, efficient, and reliable transportation infrastructure while supporting the state’s economic vitality. The department is committed to fostering innovation, sustainability, and safety in transportation planning and development, in addition to collaborating with local governments and private sector partners to meet the state’s transportation needs. For the eighth consecutive year, Indiana has placed in the top ten in the nation for infrastructure in CNBC’s “America’s Top States for Business” rankings. Learn more at in.gov/indot.
About Buckle Up Phone Down
Buckle Up Phone Down is a safety initiative adopted by the Indiana Department of Transportation in late 2023. Unrestrained motorists and passengers, as well as distracted driving continue to be contributing factors in fatal and serious injury crashes on Indiana roadways. Buckle Up Phone Down is one of many efforts to change driver behavior and improve roadway safety across Indiana.
The actions are simple: when you get into a vehicle, buckle up. If you are the driver, put the phone down. Every trip. Every time. Learn more and accept the challenge at BUPDIN.com.