Missouri roads come with a lot of unknowns. On back roads, short drives, and long hauls, we are ready for whatever lies ahead. For every curve, every deer, every…thing. We buckle. The “We Buckle” campaign is going out across 18 counties in central Missouri, sharing the important message that MOST young adults in this region always wear their seatbelts. You may see billboards alongside the highway, posts on your social media feed, or hear ads on the radio with the We Buckle message. 

These messages were created using Positive Community Norms (PCN), a framework that promotes protective factors, increases healthy norms, and changes community cultures on issues including substance use, traffic safety, child maltreatment, youth suicide, and more. PCN focuses on the evidence-based practice of correcting misperceptions of norms to reduce harm and increase health across the social ecology. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and other agencies consistently reference positive norms, social norms, and norms science as an evidence-based approach to prevention. To learn more about Positive Community Norms, please visit The Montana Institute at montanainstitute.com or email info@montanainstitute.com.