The Connecticut Department of Transportation is having a hard time communicating the message that seat belts save lives, reports The Hartford Courant, so it's asking churches to share its salvation message. This year Latino congregations will join an educational program that focuses on black churches. For example, Wayne Carter of Hartford's Mount Moriah Baptist Church recently spoke on seat belt safety for 10 minutes before segueing into a message of spiritual salvation. Living without either is dangerous, he said. While such brief encouragements aren't a problem, says Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary homiletics professor Haddon Robinson, a whole sermon on seat belts "would be a spiritual disaster—although considering some of the diluted pablum that passes for preaching these days, seat belts might be a more worthwhile subject."

Connecticut was awarded in February a $410,906 grant by the Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to expand efforts to encourage people in the state to wear seat belts.