Buckle Up Phone Down Day, urging safe choices on the road

Wednesday, October 28, 2026 at 7:46 AM

By Staff report

Joining more than 35 states across the country, Gov. Mike Braun, the Indiana Department of Transportation and Indiana State Police recognize Buckle Up Phone Down Day on Oct. 28 by challenging Hoosiers to buckle up and put their phones down both as passengers and drivers behind the wheel.

“Last year, just over 800 people died on Indiana roadways”, said INDOT Commissioner Lyndsay Quist.

“Despite a slight decline in fatalities, INDOT continues to focus on enhancing roadway safety through systemic roadway improvements, but we can’t solve this problem on our own. We ask that all Hoosier drivers and their passengers do their part by making smart decisions. Wearing seatbelts and avoiding distractions, like cell phones and mobile devices are two easy, yet impactful, choices.”

Since 2021, the majority of fatal crashes in Indiana involved an unbelted driver or passenger. Driver inattention also remains a challenge. In 2023 alone, just over 9,500 collisions were reported to involve distracted driving or cell phone use despite Indiana’s Hands-Free Law enacted in 2020.

“Ensuring safety on our roadways is a shared responsibility, and it starts with two of the simplest actions a driver can take: buckling up and putting the phone away,” said Captain Ron Galaviz, Chief Public Information Officer for the Indiana State Police. “Our troopers are actively enforcing seatbelt and hands-free laws not to issue citations, but to save lives."

Wearing a seatbelt and putting phones away are two of the most important actions drivers and passengers can take to prevent crashes – or survive if one occurs. This is the third year Indiana has participated in the growing Buckle Up Phone Down movement, launched by the Missouri Department of Transportation in 2017.

Follow INDOT, ISP and other state departments of transportation on social media to participate in Buckle Up Phone Down Day.

Like and share posts, and use the official hashtags, #BUPDDay, #BUPDIN and #BuckeUpPhoneDown to show your support and encourage others to travel safely.