Residents recognized with Ohio State Highway Patrol's "Saved by the Belt"

MEDINA TWP. — After experiencing a serious car crash earlier in the year, several Medina County residents recently joined the State Highway Patrol's "Saved by the Belt" club. "We're here this morning to recognize two families who were involved in serious car crashes earlier this year but who thankfully made the life-saving decision and the responsible decision to buckle up," said State Highway Patrol Lt. Bridget Matt, Medina Post commander. During Thursday's presentation, Matt presented each recipient with a "Saved by the Belt" certificate signed by Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Andy Wilson and Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Charles Jones. Payton Hurosky, 18, of Wadsworth, was recognized for wearing his seat belt during a crash on May 13. "While driving southbound on state Route 94 in Wadsworth, Payton's vehicle was struck from behind by another vehicle at a high rate of speed, forcing Payton's car off the road and into a utility pole," Matt said. Matt said the driver of the at-fault vehicle was not wearing his seat belt and died. The Costello family of Wadsworth was also recognized on Thursday for wearing their seat belts and having young children properly secured in safety seats during a crash on Nov. 10. On the day of the crash, Haley Costello was driving westbound on Interstate 76 during a winter storm with her husband and four of their seven children in the car. "She could see there was a crash up ahead and began to slow down when their vehicle was struck from behind by another car, causing them to spin out on the freeway," Matt said. The "Saved by the Belt" club is a joint effort by the Ohio Department of Public Safety and the State Highway Patrol to recognize those who have benefited from wearing safety belts. According to the State Highway Patrol, provisional data from 2024 shows that 482 people in Ohio were killed in traffic crashes where a safety belt was available but not used. Matt said the "Saved by the Belt" presentations help raise awareness and educate other motorists who may not wear a seat belt about the importance of doing so. "Wearing a seat belt and buckling up is the simplest and easiest thing that we can do as motorists to prevent harm, injury and possibly death when we get behind the wheel or in any vehicle as a passenger," Matt said. View the State Highway Patrol's safety belt dashboard at www.safetybeltdashboard.ohio.gov. Contact reporter Sara Crawford at (330) 721-4063 or scrawford@medina-gazette.com.