TxDOT Urges Teens to Buckle Up and Save a Life

‘Teen Click It or Ticket’ campaign visits Texas high schools with
interactive education events

AUSTIN, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Approximately 42% of teens killed in Texas traffic crashes in 2018 were
unrestrained in vehicles. To remind teens how the click of a seat belt
can save a life, the Texas Department of Transportation is taking its
annual “Teen Click It or Ticket” campaign on the road. The campaign will
visit several high schools across the state with interactive education
events convincing teens to buckle up.

“As teens start driving and gradually gain independence, some don’t
always make the best decisions regarding their safety. One of the safest
choices teens can make is to buckle up every time they are in a
vehicle,” said TxDOT Executive Director James Bass. “We urge teen
drivers and their passengers to make it a habit to always buckle up and
save a life.”

The “Teen Click It or Ticket” campaign will host interactive events at
six Texas high schools this spring. The events feature the use of
virtual reality game technology and an augmented reality experience to
share the campaign’s safety messaging in a highly engaging manner. The
experience also includes the display of a mangled truck involved in a
rollover crash. Thanks to using their seat belts, two Texas teens
survived the crash with only minor scratches. The campaign’s outreach to
Texas teens will be enhanced by TV, radio and digital advertising and
social media.

During 2018 in Texas, one in five vehicle crashes involved a teen
driver. Of the 262 teen drivers and passengers killed in vehicle crashes
that year, 111 were unrestrained.

Texas law requires drivers and all passengers to wear a seat belt.
Unbuckled drivers and passengers — even those in the back seat —
face fines and fees of up to $200.

Seat belts prevent drivers and passengers from being ejected from a
vehicle, which is almost always deadly. Wearing a seat belt reduces the
risk of dying in a crash by 45%. That number jumps to 60% for pickup
truck crashes.

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. Since November 8, 2000, at
least one person has died on Texas roadways every single day.
#EndTheStreakTX asks all Texans to commit to driving safely to help end
the streak of daily deaths on our roadways.

To learn more about “Teen Click It or Ticket,” visit https://www.txdot.gov/driver/kids-teens/teen-clickit.html.

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 March 25,
2019.

The Texas Department of Transportation is responsible for maintaining
80,000 miles of road and for supporting aviation, rail, and public
transportation across the state. Through collaboration and leadership,
we deliver a safe, reliable, and integrated transportation system that
enables the movement of people and goods. Find out more at txdot.gov.

Our Values: People • Accountability • Trust • Honesty

An Equal Opportunity Employer

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Contacts

Veronica Beyer
MediaRelations@txdot.gov
512-463-8700