North Dakota Adds Virtual Reality Video to Encourage Seat Belt Use

The video is compatible with smartphones that play virtual reality media

FARGO, N.D. — The annual Click It or Ticket campaign is ready to kick off.  State officials were also in Fargo to unveil a new strategy to encourage more drivers to buckle up.

Memorial Day Weekend is just around the corner, and law enforcement agencies in North Dakota will be on the lookout again for drivers not buckling up.

“They will be focusing on traffic enforcement with the primary offense that they are looking for is for seat belt use,” said Sgt. James Kringlie of the Fargo Police Department.  “It’s to try and change public’s behavior and try to increase the use of seat belts.”

State officials say that using a seat belt can be vital in surviving a crash.

“And we know that seat belt use is the single most effective tool that you can have to prevent injury or death if you are in a motor vehicle crash,” said Ashlee Doan of the North Dakota DOT.  “Yet, North Dakotans are some of the lowest users of seat belts.”

The state of North Dakota is trying a new strategy hoping to reach as many drivers as possible hoping that each time they hit the road, they remember to buckle up.

“So in an effort to truly show the importance of wearing a seat belt at all times, through virtual reality, we’re now able to use technology to place people in a vehicle crash,” said Doan.

It is a 360 degree virtual reality video playable on certain types of smartphones.

“So through our virtual reality goggles that we have and a 360 video, the viewer can fully be immersed in a motor vehicle crash without actually having to obviously be in one,” said Doan.

The state hopes it convinces more drivers to buckle up.

The video is only available through the North Dakota DOT.  To contact the DOT, click here.