Two youngsters were honored for their posters urging truck drivers to buckle up.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Administrator Anne S. Ferro announced the winners of this year's "Be Ready, Be Buckled" Safety Belt Student Art Contest at a ceremony at the U.S. Department of Transportation headquarters building in Washington, D.C. on Monday.

The "Be Ready. Be Buckled" student art contest is open to students in grades kindergarten through five with relatives in the commercial truck and bus industries. The contest educates kids about highway safety and urges commercial drivers to buckle up on every trip.

Second grader Sophia Chen from Edison, N.J., and fifth grader Richard He from Parsippany, N.J., took home top honors for their illustrations that emphasize the importance of commercial truck and bus drivers using their safety belts every time they are behind the wheel. In addition to the two winners, 10 other students were acknowledged during the ceremony for their participation in the contest. A total of 32 students entered the contest.

According to FMCSA's Safety Belt Usage by Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers Survey, safety belt use among truck and bus drivers while operating the vehicle is up, with 78% buckling up in 2010 compared to 65% in 2009.

"When drivers of 40-ton trucks and passenger buses wear their safety belts, they make our roads safer for everyone," says FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro. "It's exciting to see kids take the lead on safety by encouraging their families and communities to buckle up."

The two contest winners were presented with a certificate of appreciation signed by Ferro, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Administrator David Strickland. Both winners received framed replicas of their artwork and a $100 U.S. savings bond courtesy of the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Belt Partnership.

To learn more about the "Be Ready. Be Buckled" contest, visit www.fmcsa.dot.gov.