“Positive change comes at a price we can afford.”  Matt Ridge, a senior at Lakes High School, stated this when he first became involved with Youth Act!.  At that time, he did not recognize the impact his voice would make on his community, and the lives that could be saved due to his efforts. 

Matt, as captain of his youth advocacy team, headed the Lakewood students’ in advocating for safer roads in their community.   At the Youth Act Training, his peers discovered that “when used properly, shoulder/lap belts reduce the risk of fatal injury by 45% and the risk of moderate to critical injury by 50%“ (NHTSA). 

Matt and his team recognized that lives could be saved if their local officials would pass a Primary Seat Belt Enforcement Referendum.  This bill would allow police officers to write citations solely for the offense of not wearing a seatbelt while driving. 

Matt wrote a proposal advocating for the passage of a Primary Seat Belt Enforcement Referendum in Lakewood, and submitted it to the City Council.   Civic involvement by such a young person caught the attention of Lakewood Mayor Bill Harrison, and impelled him to write a letter in support of a Primary Seat Belt Bill to Lakewood’s state representatives in Olympia. 

This young person’s advocacy efforts influenced the actions of his local decision-makers.  As Matt stated in his proposal, “If Lakewood takes the first step, we will be one step closer to fulfilling America’s promise to ensuring a future for our children.”