According to the Texas Department of Transportation, “Vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among teenagers.” TxDOT goes on to say that teen drivers have more unbuckled fatalities than any other age group in Texas.
In 2015 alone, 293 teenagers between the ages of 15 and 20 died in car crashes, according to TxDOT. Of those teenager deaths, 39 percent of the teens were not wearing a seat belt when they were involved in the crash. Unfortunately, this problem is not limited to Texas.
Across the country, teens are known for not wearing their seatbelts despite education and reinforcement from their parents. Often, they think they’re invincible and when they ride around with their peers, they’re more apt to take risks, such as riding without a safety belt and piling too many teens in a car where there’s not enough belts for each passenger.
TxDOT Launches Awareness Campaign
In an effort to reduce teen fatalities and help keep them safe, TxDOT launched a public awareness campaign called “Teen Click It or Ticket.” TxDOT is sending materials to high schools throughout the state to encourage teen drivers to wear their safety belts. These materials will also be displayed on school grounds so teen drivers will see them regularly.
To learn more about this campaign, visit TexasClickItorTicket.com.
The various public service announcements aim to teach teens that the single most effective way to protect drivers and passengers of all ages from serious injury and death is to buckle up, and if they don’t, there will be consequences. If a teen driver fails to wear their safety belt in Texas, they face driver’s license suspension and fines:
- If the driver is not wearing a seat belt, he or she faces a fine up to $250.
- If a driver is on the Graduated Driver License (GDL) Program and he or she receives a seat belt citation, he or she faces a driver’s license suspension.
We hope this information is useful to you. If anyone in your household or family needs assistance with a traffic ticket, seat belt or moving violation issue, contact us today.
