Traffic accidents last year in South Dakota claimed nearly 150 lives and injured more than 660 people. Beyond the human suffering, the accidents cost the state's economy $357 million.

To make travel safer, 90 organizations statewide have pledged to help the South Dakota Office of Highway Safety to prevent crashes and encourage seat-belt use.

"Last year, 146 people died on South Dakota roads. Many of those crashes were completely preventable," Pennington County Sheriff Don Holloway said in a prepared release. "Everyone has a stake in this effort, and we want to do our part to help prevent crashes and save lives."

The safety campaign will include education, awareness, research and enforcement.