Austin, Texas, Jan. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TxDOT is urging teens and their families to treat seat belts as a non-negotiable. Buckling up takes just seconds, but those seconds save lives. TxDOT’s Teen Click It or Ticket campaign is urging all teens to buckle up — every seat, every ride.
Out of 296 teen traffic crash fatalities in Texas in 2023, 49% were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash. This represents a total of 144 teens, either drivers or passengers aged 15 to 20, who tragically lost their lives. The 2023 data also indicates that as a whole, there’s been a 6% increase from 2022 in the number of teen drivers and passengers involved in motor vehicle crashes who were not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.
“These numbers serve as a sobering wake-up call,” said TxDOT Executive Director Marc D. Williams. “Every time someone gets in a car and skips their seat belt, they’re taking a deadly gamble. In the event of a crash, seat belts reduce the risk of fatal injuries by 45% for front-seat occupants in passenger vehicles. Yet far too many Texas teens are still skipping this critical safety step.”
The Teen Click It or Ticket campaign will travel the state from Jan. 30 to Feb. 15, 2025 and make stops at high schools and community colleges in areas with the lowest percentages of teen seat belt use:
San Antonio District
Alamo Colleges District-Palo Alto College
1400 W. Villaret Blvd., San Antonio, Texas 78224
Mon. 2/3/25
9 a.m. -1 p.m.
Austin District
Glenn High School
1320 Collaborative Way, Leander, TX 78641
Tue. 2/4/25
9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Brownwood District
Howard Payne University
1000 Fisk St., Brownwood, TX 76801
Thurs. 2/6/25
Time: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Lufkin District
Hudson High School
6735 Ted Trout Dr., Hudson, TX 75904
Tue. 2/11/25
9 a.m. – 12:35 p.m.
Houston District
Houston Community College – Felix Fraga Academic Campus
301 N Drennan St., Houston, TX 77003
Thu. 2/13/25
Time: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
The tour will include a trailer with the wreckage from a truck crash involving two teenagers who walked away with minor injuries because they were wearing seat belts. It will also include a mobile digital vehicle featuring screens displaying safety information. During the interactive experience, teens will learn about the Texas law that requires drivers and all passengers to wear seat belts.
Unbuckled drivers and passengers — even those in the back seat — can face fines and fees of up to $200.
The campaign calls on parents, schools, and communities to encourage teens to develop the habit of buckling up, whether they are driving or riding as passengers. It’s also a reminder to parents and educators that their example matters — teens are more likely to wear seat belts when adults model the same behavior.
January 2024 statewide qualitative research conducted with teens ages 15-20 indicated they want to survive a crash so they can live out their personal and professional dreams. TxDOT officials emphasize that buckling up only takes a few seconds and remains the simplest, most effective way to stay safe on the road so teens can fulfill their life goals.
The Teen Click It or Ticket campaign is a key component of #EndTheStreakTX, a broader social media and word-of-mouth effort that encourages drivers to make safer choices while behind the wheel to help end the streak of daily deaths. Nov. 7, 2000, was the last deathless day on Texas roadways.
For media inquiries, contact TxDOT Media Relations at MediaRelations@TxDOT.gov or (512) 463-8700.
The information contained in this report represents reportable data collected from the Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report (CR-3). This information was received and processed by the department as of October 8, 2024.
The Texas Department of Transportation is responsible for maintaining 80,000 miles of road and for supporting aviation, maritime, rail and public transportation across the state.
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