Report highlights programs that can help increase teen use of safety belts
Washington – The Governors Highway Safety Association and The Allstate Foundation are highlighting programs across the country that can serve as models to help increase teens’ use of safety belts.
The organizations released a report in July, Getting It to Click: Connecting Teens and Seat Belts, which examines effective teen safety belt programs, highlights promising programs in 12 states, and offers recommendations on how programs can help motivate teens to buckle up.
The report covers programs and initiatives from a survey conducted by GHSA of state highway safety offices. Experts determined the following states have strong programs that can possibly be replicated by other states: Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin.
The report details elements of a good program:
- Enforcement of safety belt laws
- Peer-to-peer efforts
- Parental participation
- Community involvement
- Using social media to deliver traffic safety messages
- Incentives
- Resources useful to diverse audiences
GHSA is scheduled to host a webinar on the report at 3 p.m. Eastern on July 16.
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among 15- to 20-year-olds, according to National Center for Health Statistics.