Spring is on the way, and soon tractors will be a common sight in the field and in the roadway.

In an effort to promote safety, the Missouri State Highway Patrol has issued a series of public service messages, all with one recurring theme: Seat belts save lives. Whether you're in a vehicle, in your pickup truck, or on your tractor, buckle up, the patrol urges.

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According to MSHP statistics, most traffic crashes occur close to home.

"You never know when another driver will make a careless mistake. Take extra precaution to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. Always buckle your seat belt and theirs."

Most people will, at some point in their lives, be in some sort of traffic crash, and since agriculture is Missouri's leading industry, the patrol also urges farmers to observe traffic laws and rules of safety while they are hard at work. "Whether you're driving a pickup or moving a combine from one field to the other --take three seconds and buckle that seat belt," the public service announcements plead.

It's all part of the MSHP's effort to reduce traffic fatalities in Missouri. Missouri led the nation in the reduction of deaths from traffic crashes. Missouri experienced a 13 percent decrease in traffic deaths for 2006. There were 1257 people killed in Missouri traffic crashes in 2005 and 1096 Missouri traffic deaths in 2006. The death rate also dropped from 1.8 to 1.6 deaths per 100 million miles of vehicle travel, MSHP statistics say.

"I am very pleased with the reduction of fatal traffic crashes in Missouri in 2006," said Col. James F. Keathley, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

"The patrol utilized innovative enforcement efforts and safety programs to help reduce the number and severity of traffic crashes in Missouri last year. New in-car computer technology has also allowed troopers to spend more time on the road as opposed to in the office. We are very pleased that Missouri led the nation in the reduction of fatal traffic crashes, and we are committed to working with our traffic safety partners to further reduce the number of traffic deaths in our state."

Traffic deaths continued to decline in Missouri in 2007, nine percent fewer people were killed on Missouri roadways compared to the same time period in 2006.

"I am proud of all our troopers who work every day to encourage safe driving and reduce traffic fatalities. This is our primary responsibility and I believe we are doing a commendable job as evidenced by the fantastic reductions. This work is continuing as we experienced similar fatality reductions during 2007," Keathley said.