Buckle up. The Washington County Sheriff’s office, along with the Iowa Department of Public Safety, is reminding motorists to fasten seat belts during this busy holiday weekend. According to the sheriff’s office, wearing a seat belt is the single most effective way to prevent injury or death in a crash. During the Thanksgiving weekend in 2013, 301 people nationwide died on roadways with 58 percent of those people not wearing seat belts. In 2013, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 12,584 lives were saved by seat belts. Whether traveling near or far, buckle up.