Wouldn't you click it to win new wheels? I thought so.

One click at a time.

Every time another Crystal Lake High School District 155 student chose to click his or her seat belt this year, it raised his chances to win a brand new car.

Better still, it upped his chances to survive the drive.

Now 10 years and thousands of clicks since Operation Click began, the program's success rate is giving lots of other high school students the chance to win new wheels. And keeping them safer at the same time.

Just ask Crystal Lake Central High School junior Ryan Landon, who just won a brand new Pontiac G6, or senior Brenda Grams, of Wauconda, who is the proud owner of a brand-new Pontiac Vibe.

Thanks to determined Crystal Lake police, generous Crystal Lake Pontiac GMC owner Sam Oginni and others, Operation Click is expanding to 33 schools next year. They'll be giving away at least seven new cars next spring.

Why, oh why, can't there be such a program for waaaay-past-high-schoolers?

And, yes, I was wearing my seat belt when the car I was driving was totaled last week. And, yes, it helped.

Works for me

Crystal Lake police officer Sean McGrath, who has played an integral role in Operation Click's expansion, hopes to expand the program to many more schools.

I know a lot of high schools use the death-and-destruction approach to persuade teens to wear seat belts and warn them of the dangers of drunken driving. But just look at Operation Click's success rate. Crystal Lake students went from 65 to 95 percent seat-belt compliance since the program's start.

Think about it: Are you more inspired by incentives or by fear?

Just imagine if police rewarded you for wearing your seat belt instead of giving you a ticket through their Click It or Ticket program.

Bus-ted

Thinking of seat belts, do you suppose they might have helped ease the impact for the 54 Huntley grade-school kids jolted on a District 158 school bus when the angry bus driver slammed them to a sudden stop Wednesday, sending one child to the hospital and injuring at least 18 others?

I'd ask what was she thinking, but it's pretty clear she wasn't.

What a disservice she's done to those students and to the many good bus drivers who treat our children as their own, carrying our precious cargo to and from school each day.

Never too old

That bus driver is too young for this class, but maybe she should attend the AARP Drivers Safety Program anyway. It's from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 15 and 16 at the Algonquin Township office, 3702 Northwest Hwy., Crystal Lake.

The 8-hour course reviews the rules of the road and accident prevention skills. I sure am up for that.

They also promise to help you overcome the effects of aging on driving. Now if only they could also teach us how to overcome someone else's lead foot and inattention.

You'll need to register. Call (847) 639-2700, ext. 7.

Fire on the grill

Hampshire Fire Capt. Trevor Hermann asked me to let you know about the department's open house and brat dinner to help buy fire and rescue equipment. It's from 4 to 7 p.m. May 10 at the station, 202 Washington St. For $5 for adults and $2.50 for children, you'll get brats, hot dogs, baked beans, coleslaw, a drink and dessert. Can't beat that. They're giving fire truck rides in their 1931 Model A truck and will have firefighting demonstrations as well -- not to mention lots of goodies for kids.

Relay day!

Don't forget it's the northern Kane Relay for Life tonight. The fun starts at 6 p.m. at Dundee-Crown High School's fieldhouse where, even if you aren't registered yet, you're welcome to stop by. If you'd like to donate, even better. Every dollar helps.

They'll have a moon walk, disc jockey, silent auction, pie-eating contest, games, karaoke and dancing. The event goes all night and they'd love for you to come by.

If you can't stay, come at least for the first lap around the track when the survivors of cancer remind us all why we need to keep fighting to stop this disease.

We've lost way too many great people already.