The Nebraska State Patrol is planning a special campaign in January and February to promote seat belt usage in Scotts Bluff County.

The State Patrol says recent surveys in the Scottsbluff-Gering area showed seat belt usage was around 50 percent. That’s well below the state average of 79 percent.

So troopers plan to conduct a special enforcement in January and February to enforce seat belt use.

State Patrol Capt. Mike Gaudreault says people are killed in car crashes all too often simply because they weren’t buckled up.

An $11,000 grant from the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety will pay for the added enforcement.