PABLO — Arlee’s Hendrickson brothers circle of fame is growing. Already known for their rodeo skills and polite demeanors, the boys are gaining attention as the “Buckle Boys,” poster guys for a seatbelt-use safety campaign that is a joint project of the Lake County Health Department and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Health Department.
The “Buckle Up, Boys” campaign is part of the Safe Kids, Safe Communities (SKSC) program. The Lake County /Flathead Reservation chapter is one of 15 SKSC coalitions across Montana, said Emily Colomeda, SKSC program coordinator at the Lake County Health Department.
The coalitions’ goals are to prevent accidental death and injury in motor vehicle crashes due to non-use of seatbelts, or from impaired driving.
The program is funded through a grant from the Montana Department of Transportation, and promotes safe driving and impaired driving prevention through a variety of activities, outreach, and education.
The Buckle Up, Boys campaign was designed to target high-risk populations, including teens, male pick-up truck drivers, and American Indians, who tend not to use seat belts, and suffer a high percentage of fatalities and injuries because of it.
“We have three goals: impaired driving prevention, adult seat belt use, and child passenger safety. Those issues are the primary scope of our work,” said Colomeda.
The Hendrickson brothers were selected to promote those issues on the Reservation because they are local, already known, and can help promote seatbelt use as something “real men” do.
The theme of the Buckle Up, Boys campaign is “Buckle up in your truck,” reflecting those populations of drivers least likely to do so.
“It is well documented that pick up truck drivers and their passengers wear safety belts less often than those in passenger cars,” Colomeda said. “Furthermore, pick up trucks are more likely to roll over in a crash, which increases the risk of ejection of the unbelted passengers.”
“This is why we see so many motor vehicle deaths on Montana roadways,” she said. According to the website www.buckleupinyourtruck.com seat belt use reduces the risk of dying in a rollover crash by up to 80%.
The health department wanted to collaborate with tribal health, and coordinated with Margene Asay to come up with some ideas that would target American Indians.
“We wanted to design a poster using local families that people would identify with, as well as relay a positive message about seat belts saving lives,” Colomeda said.
The brothers, Levi, Rusty and Billy, are happy to help out. Last spring, they spent a day undergoing a photo shoot arranged by Margene Asay of tribal health.
Frank Tyro took over 100 shots of the boys on their family ranch to glean the beefcake image that graces the poster.
While he’s a little embarrassed by the attention, Levi Hendrickson said it’s for a good cause. All the boys said they wear their seatbelts.
The brothers have been riding steers and calves since they were each about seven, said Rusty, a senior at Arlee High School.
He plans to follow in his oldest brother’s footsteps and take up Heavy Equipment Operation at the College of Technology in Missoula after high school. Brother Billy graduated from the program in May, and is now an equipment operator for Shulty Construction in Missoula.
Levi, a junior in Equine Management in Dillon, wants to “stay with rodeo for as long as possible, then get a job.”
The brothers were a good choice for the poster, Asay said, because they portray a “real man” image, and prove that being strong equates with being smart when it comes to seat belt use.
Assay hopes to have the boys visit all the reservation schools during the coming year. She also hopes to have a billboard in place, promoting the “buckle up boys” message.
“I don't think any of us ever thought it would become this big,” Colomeda said. “The exposure is great, though. It never hurts to spread the seat belt message.”
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