Learn to Drive – Developing a Seatbelt Habit
Two-thirds of teen drivers and passengers killed in crashes were not wearing seat belts. |
When teens learn to drive some think it’s cool not to wear a seatbelt. Others think they don’t need one when they’re “just going down the block” or sitting in the back seat. But 1 in 10 teens who will learn to drive this year will be involved in a crash. Many of the crashes will take place very close to home – and wearing your seatbelt could save your life.
Don’t take foolish chances. Always buckle up; front seat and back. And wear your seatbelt properly – including the shoulder harness.
As the driver, you have POWER. You control what you do and where the car goes. You can also control your passengers by insisting they buckle-up too.
You’re 16 times more likely to be seriously injured if you’re not wearing a seatbelt. NHTSA Data |
“Seatbelt Check!”
Before you put the car in gear, call out, “Seatbelt check!” Then have each person check that they are belted, and that the person next to them is belted too. Make this a part of your driver ed checklist.
In our family, we’ve caught two people in the last two weeks. In both cases they thought they’d buckled up, but were distracted by activity in the vehicle or a package on their laps.
As you learn to drive make ‘Seatbelt Check!’ a habit every time you get in the car. Even people who always wear their seatbelt sometimes make mistakes. And you know that can be deadly.
Seat belts dangerous? No – but people who don’t wear them are!
If your friends refuse to wear their seatbelts because they say they’re dangerous, set them straight. Seatbelts save lives and people who don’t wear them are a danger to everyone else in the car. Unbelted people become torpedoes if the car crashes. They bounce around inside the car and can kill or severely injure other passengers!
