A press release was recently issued from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) about the launch of the statewide “Teen Click It or Ticket” campaign. Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in America, and buckling up is the single most effective way to protect one’s self during a crash. Unfortunately, teens across Texas are still failing to buckle up. Getting the word out about the importance of wearing a seatbelt will hopefully reduce the possibility and severity of injuries for teens who are involved in automobile crashes.
The Campaign Strategy
This campaign is aimed at raising awareness about the importance of buckling up. Not only is this campaign about teenagers, it’s also strategically designed to appeal to teens. The TxDOT is utilizing Vine videos this year in addition to their wrecked truck exhibit. The growing popularity of Vine videos, which are short looping video clips no longer than seven seconds, makes this a perfect campaign strategy for reaching teen drivers and passenger occupants. In addition to the videos, the wrecked truck exhibit will show teen drivers and passengers the consequences of not buckling up. Topics covered will include expensive tickets, a loss of driving privileges, injuries and death.
Unrestrained Teens in Texas: Just the Facts
- Buckling up reduces the risk of suffering from a fatal injury in a serious crash by 45 percent.
- In 2012, unrestrained occupants between the ages of 15 and 20 sustained fatal or serious injuries in more than 660 crashes across Texas.
- Of the 297 fatalities that occurred as a result of those crashes, 141 people were not buckled up at the time of the wreck.
Why Teen Drivers and Passenger Vehicle Occupants Need to “Click It”
More than many other age groups, young people are a particularly high risk for involvement in automobile crashes. Per mile driven, teen drivers from ages 16 to 19 are three times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than drivers aged 20 years and older. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that when teens were compared with other age groups, they had the lowest rate of seat belt usage too. In 2011, just over half of high school students surveyed reported always wearing their seatbelt when riding with other people. The Teen Click-it or Ticket campaign will hopefully raise awareness about this important topic and improve seatbelt usage for teens across Texas.